The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem decided yesterday to close the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock Mosque until further notice, in a move aimed at protecting worshipers from the outbreak of the Corona virus, and prayers will continue in the open area around the two mosques and other prayer places on the Temple Mount.
The director of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Omar Al-Kiswani, told «Reuters», that the Islamic Endowments Department decided to close the chapels inside the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, in order to preserve the health of the worshipers, pointing out that the prayer will be in the courtyards of the mosque, while continuing to take all preventive measures inside the mosque, and continued All prayers will be held in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the doors will remain open to all worshipers.
Prior to the issuance of the department’s decision, the Israeli occupation police closed a number of gates leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the occupation authorities opened the Mughrabi Gate, where a group of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa courtyards and wandered around its courtyards in light of calls for rabbis to pray in the mosque.
In addition, settlers stormed the outskirts of Al-Janiya village, west of Ramallah, amid the guarding of the Israeli occupation forces, and witnesses told the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), that the youths of the village confronted the settlers, which led to confrontations between them, despite the occupation forces firing and tear gas canisters Sound bombs aimed at young men, and this is the second time in a week that settlers have tried to storm the village.
Yesterday morning, settlers smashed the windows of 20 vehicles in the town of Hawara, south of Nablus, and the official of the settlement file in the northern West Bank, Ghassan Douglas, said that settlers attacked the western side of the town of Hawara, and fired indiscriminately.
Settlers storm Al-Janiya village, west of Ramallah, under the protection of the occupation forces.