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A wanderer in the markets of the Old City in occupied Jerusalem finds them almost empty of visitors. In contrast to all the months of Ramadan in previous years, the city’s markets this Ramadan appear almost empty of people due to the occupation’s measures and the restrictions it imposed on Jerusalem and its visitors.
These markets, which are usually considered a destination for visitors to the city and its people, this time seemed forgotten and no one knew anything about them.
One of the juice sellers in the Old City says that Ramadan this year is not like previous ones. “We were accustomed to many people coming in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the 1948 areas to pray at Al-Aqsa during the month of Ramadan, but these days, due to the occupation’s harassment, the number of visitors has decreased significantly.” ".
The owner of one of the shops in the Old City said that the commercial situation is extremely bad due to the occupation’s restrictions and the inspection of those coming and going, adding that this greatly affected the visitors to the Old City, whose number decreased, and most of them contented themselves with going to pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque and avoiding the markets.
He considered that the shops and trade in the Old City had become a burden on their owners, so many shops were closed.
For his part, the owner of a handicrafts shop considered that Ramadan this year is difficult, as it is difficult for people from various Palestinian regions, including Jerusalemites, to come due to the restrictions. He pointed out that the Old City seems empty, even though normally during Ramadan, the Old City was crowded with visitors and people praying in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.
He said that for the Old City, Ramadan is the month of work, activity, and a large number of patrons and visitors, and that there are shops that usually operate during Ramadan, but this time the situation is difficult and painful in light of the disturbances of the occupation forces, stressing that he and other residents of the Old City will remain steadfast in Jerusalem.
A resident of the Old City said that Ramadan this year is sad and devoid of the decorations and joyful atmosphere that usually accompanies the month of fasting, due to the conditions experienced by the people of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, in addition to the occupation’s restrictions on the people of the Holy City.
He added that visitors to the Holy City are content to travel to Al-Aqsa Mosque and perform prayers if they are able to overcome the obstacles that the occupation places in front of them in the Old City, and do not go to its markets for fear of quarrels from the occupation soldiers deployed everywhere.
Source: Al Jazeera