Israeli occupation police are deployed around Al-Aqsa Mosque for fear of confrontations during the month of Ramadan (Anatolia)
On Sunday, large Israeli occupation police forces were deployed in the vicinity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Holy City, fearing the outbreak of violent unrest with the start of the month of Ramadan, according to Israeli media.
The private Channel 12 reported that worshipers will head to Al-Aqsa Mosque this evening to perform the first Tarawih prayer on the eve of the beginning of the month of Ramadan.
She continued, "The month of Ramadan begins this Sunday evening in light of the war and against the backdrop of attempts by the head of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, to ignite the region and incite the Palestinians inside the occupied interior."
Israeli Channel 12 added that police forces were deployed in the Al-Aqsa Mosque area on high alert, for fear of fires in the square and violent unrest.
It reported that as part of the preparations, thousands of text messages were sent to residents of the city of Jerusalem containing clear warnings of unrest, and leaflets were distributed in the eastern neighborhoods of the city in the name of an intelligence officer in the Jerusalem Police warning its residents against engaging in “riots” during Ramadan.
The occupation used to obstruct Muslims from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan (French)
Hundreds of police officers were also deployed at key points in the Old City, and will continue to do so throughout the month of Ramadan. The Israeli channel indicated that changes are expected in traffic arrangements in the Damascus Gate area, especially on Fridays.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the recommendations of Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir regarding Palestinians entering Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.
The latter demanded that residents of the West Bank not be allowed to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque at all during Ramadan, while allowing Palestinians from the occupied interior to enter from the age of 70 years and above.
This year, the month of Ramadan comes amid a devastating war launched by Israel against the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, which has left tens of thousands of civilian victims, most of them children and women.
Since the beginning of its aggression against the besieged Gaza Strip, the occupation has imposed restrictions on the entry of worshipers into the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, deployed checkpoints and inspection stations, and set the ages of those allowed to enter it, so that the number of worshipers in some Friday prayers did not exceed the barrier of 3,000, compared to about 50,000 before these measures.
Source: Anadolu Agency