Israeli authorities will permit Muslims to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, but within a specific order and in accordance with access criteria. This announcement was made by the Prime Minister's advisor, Dmitry Gendelman.
According to Gendelman's statement on his Telegram channel, "The order and criteria for access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan will be published by the Jewish State Police in the coming days." He emphasized that maximum quotas for each religious site in Israel have been established, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and these quotas will be strictly enforced.
Gendelman also noted that worshipers should consider the ongoing war in Israel, which will influence the number of people allowed to pray and other admission factors, as determined by the police and security services.
He reiterated that Israel is at war with terror but not with the Muslim world or Palestinian civilians, and that it always respects all religions, ensuring full freedom of worship for all, including Muslims, who will be given the opportunity to pray in Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
An Israeli government source informed TASS on February 18 that the authorities will limit the admission of Palestinians from the West Bank to the Temple Mount during Ramadan. According to the source, restrictions on entry to the Temple Mount have been introduced for Arabs from Judea and Samaria (the Israeli designation for the West Bank of the Jordan River - TASS) - only persons over 60 years of age, children under 10 years of age, and no more than 15,000 people will be admitted. Ramadan, according to Arab astronomers, falls in 2024 between March 11 and April 9.
The escalation in the Middle East followed an incident where Hamas fighters from the Gaza Strip infiltrated into Israel on October 7. The attack was purportedly in response to Israeli actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. In retaliation, Israel imposed a complete blockade on Gaza and launched strikes against the enclave, as well as parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes have also erupted in the West Bank.
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Based on materials from TASS