Despite Israeli restrictions, thousands of Palestinians perform Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa
Occupied Jerusalem (QNN)- Over 65,000 Palestinian worshipers performed Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of Jerusalem.
Local sources said today that despite the Israeli restrictions, nearly 65,000 people performed the Friday prayer at the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Thousands of Palestinians performed Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied #Jerusalem, today. pic.twitter.com/xIBUELtcEu
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) February 18, 2022
Earlier today, the Israeli occupation forces obstructed the movement of dozens of Palestinians coming from the occupied West Bank and heading to the Al-Aqsa mosque, searching, harassing and briefly detaining them.
Israeli occupation forces birefly detained and prevented hundreds of Palestinians to cross through Ni'lin checkpoint in the occupied West Bank district of Ramallah to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied #Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/IVuiE8w1qj
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) February 18, 2022
The well-armed Israeli forces were also seen stationed at the gates of the mosque, harassing Palestinians, and inspecting their ID cards.
Every Friday, thousands of Palestinians stream to the Al-Aqsa mosque, the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims, to recite the Holy Quran before performing Friday prayer.
The Palestinian worshipers are always provoked, assaulted and detained by Israeli forces stationed at the gates of the mosque and deployed in its courtyards.
Every day of the week, the occupation forces facilitate and protect the Israeli settlers’ incursions to the mosque which has been intensively allowed by the occupation authorities since 2003, despite repeated objections and warnings by the Palestinian religious authorities as the visits provoke worshippers of the mosque.
Since the start of 2021, 34,562 settlers broke into the holy site, setting a new record, as in 2020, 19,000 settlers broke into the mosque and 29,700 settlers in 2019, according to Al-Qastal, a Palestinian network hub for Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem.
Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two prominent Jewish temples in ancient times.
The complex also includes the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the most sacred Christian sites in the world.
