Occupied Jerusalem – Zaytoun News
Israeli occupation forces forced Palestinian Muslim worshippers out of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem following the dawn prayer on Friday and barred them from staying inside before sealing its gates.
Palestinian local sources said that Israeli police officers stormed the mosque compound after the dawn prayer, forced worshippers out, and then sealed the gates. The sources noted that this marks the first time the mosque has been emptied and closed by Israeli forces since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque coincided with the Israeli military’s announcement of a full lockdown across the West Bank, just hours after Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran.
Palestinian local sources also reported that Israeli forces shut down dozens of military checkpoints and gates across the West Bank and blocked several secondary roads between towns, villages, and cities with dirt mounds.
The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs strongly condemned the Israeli occupation’s closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron at dawn today, and its denial of access to worshippers, in an act targeting two of the most sacred Islamic sites in Palestine.
In a statement, the Ministry said it strongly condemns and denounces this reprehensible action, affirming its unwavering commitment to preserving and protecting Islamic holy sites.
It further called on international institutions to act urgently to halt Israeli violations against Palestinian places of worship and religious sanctities.
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