IN PICTURES| 60,000 Palestinians attend Friday prayers at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque
Occupied Jerusalem (QNN)- About 60,000 Palestinian worshipers performed Friday prayers today at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of Jerusalem.
Despite the massive deployment of Israeli occupation forces in the streets of the Old City and at the holy sites’ gates and in its vicinity, Jerusalem’s Islamic Waqf confirmed that around 60,000 worshipers performed the Friday prayers at the mosque, today.
Thousands of Palestinian worshipers perform Friday prayer at the holy #AlAqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/KrXFsfpHTz
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) September 16, 2022
The Waqf said Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, 1948-occupied Palestine, and occupied Jerusalem succeeded in reaching the holy site and attending the Friday sermon and prayers.
Palestinian worshippers are heading to perform Friday prayer at the holy #AlAqsa Mosque in occupied #Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/We2UJw8WvU
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) September 16, 2022
The holy site had been, about four months ago, the centre of days of Israeli aggressions amid heightened tensions following a series of raids and attacks in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank. The Israeli aggressions included holding the annual far-right “Flag March” on May 29.
Moreover, the Israeli occupation authorities allow settler incursions to the mosque since 2003 under the forces protection, despite repeated objections and warnings by the Palestinian religious authorities as the visits provoke worshipers of the mosque. While the forces facilitate the settlers’ illegal incursions to the holy site, they attack, arrest, harass and obstruct movement of Palestinian worshipers in their way to the mosque and at the mosque.
In 2021, 34,562 Israeli 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.
