The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called on the international community to take bold and immediate measures to reduce the loss of lives, and accelerate efforts to contain the catastrophic impact of the emerging Corona Virus (COFED-19) on humanity, the importance of international cooperation in eradicating the epidemic, and at a time when the Council of Endowments, Affairs and Holy Sites announced Islamism in Jerusalem, yesterday, the Al-Aqsa Mosque was reopened to worshipers after Eid Al-Fitr, after it was closed for about two months due to the outbreak of the new Corona virus. Lebanon announced the opening of mosques to perform Friday prayers starting from tomorrow.
In detail, the Saudi Minister of Health, Dr. Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, stressed in a speech before the 73rd General Assembly of the World Health Organization that the Kingdom has taken at the national level and at the highest level, and very early in the crisis of “Covid-19”, very precautionary steps and steps. In importance, this early move had a clear effect in delaying the entry of the disease into the Kingdom, which reduced the effects of the pandemic, as a result of which the deaths caused by the epidemic decreased and the health system's high capacity to contain it in health facilities.
He pointed out that the Kingdom has taken effective steps in the field of cooperation with the international community to address the pandemic, and all steps were based on adhering to international health regulations, and responding to the call of leaders in the Group of Twenty during the virtual summit on March 26, and to bridge the current financing gap to confront the "Covid-19" pandemic. The Kingdom has initiated a contribution of $ 500 million to support international efforts in addressing the emerging coronavirus pandemic, including the World Health Organization, and has allocated $ 80 million for the benefit of global emergency response activities, health systems development and training, and support enforcement systems Early response, responding to epidemics and pandemics, in response to WHO's call.
The Saudi Minister of Health stated that through the Kingdom’s presidency, the Group of Twenty, is working closely with the relevant authorities to identify gaps in global preparations against outbreaks of infectious diseases in the medium and long term, with the aim of establishing a global initiative to address these gaps, and increasing global preparations against outbreaks of infectious diseases In the medium term.
This comes at a time when the Islamic Endowments Council in Jerusalem announced yesterday the reopening of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in front of worshipers after Eid Al-Fitr, after it was closed for about two months due to the outbreak of the Corona virus, while Lebanon announced the opening of mosques to perform Friday prayers starting from tomorrow.
"The Awqaf Council decides to lift the suspension of worshipers' entry to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque after Eid Al-Fitr," the council said in a statement.
Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid Al-Fitr this weekend.
According to the statement, "the mechanism and procedures for lifting the suspension will be announced through a statement to be issued by the Awqaf Department, in coordination with the Awqaf Council."
Last March, the council announced the suspension of worshipers' attendance at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem for a temporary period, to limit the spread of the Corona virus.
The director of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Omar Al-Kiswani, told "France Press": "I do not think that there will be a partial opening or a limitation of the number of worshipers who are allowed to enter to perform the prayer."
Al-Kiswani confirmed that the details of the decision and its details will be announced in a statement issued before the mosque is reopened.
But he indicated that the Awqaf Council "will discuss the matter for not being criticized and accusing the endowments of violating the health rules" in force to prevent the virus.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque is located in East Jerusalem, which Israel captured after the 1967 war, and is at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Israeli forces control the entrances to the site, which is administered by the Islamic Waqf Department of Jordan.
This and other measures to reduce restrictions imposed on the population come after the number of Coronavirus infections in the Palestinian territories and Israel has decreased significantly.
In the same context, the General Directorate of Islamic Endowments in Lebanon announced yesterday that the mosques will be reopened for Friday prayers starting next Friday, provided that the group’s five prayers and Tarawih prayers remain in homes.
The Directorate said, according to what was reported by the National Information Agency, yesterday, that mosques will be opened gradually for the rest of the prayers based on medical reports from specialists in the Corona pandemic.
The Directorate called on worshipers to adhere to the preventive measures adopted by setting health controls and conditions to perform Friday prayer, which is ablution at home, and the adoption of a heat test before entering the mosque after sterilization, wearing masks and gloves, and bring a prayer rug for each individual.
And she demanded that people with chronic illnesses be prevented, and those who showed symptoms of illness, as well as the absence of the elderly, and the spacing inside the mosque during the sermon and prayer, and not shaking hands, and the absence of women and children. The Directorate called on all the imams and their sermons that Friday sermons not exceed 10 minutes.
• Mosques in Lebanon will be opened gradually for the rest of the prayers based on medical reports from specialists in the area about Corona.