Israel says it should permit solely 10,000 Palestinians from the occupied West Financial institution to enter, a fraction of the tons of of hundreds of worshippers of earlier years.
Printed On 20 Feb 2026
Israel is severely limiting Palestinians’ entry to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem for the primary Friday prayers of Ramadan, with many tons of queueing on the Qalandiya checkpoint close to Ramallah, hoping and ready to get in.
However Israeli authorities say they may permit not more than 10,000 Palestinians from the occupied West Financial institution into one among Islam’s holiest websites for the day, and solely with permits – a fraction of the quantity who’ve visited to mark the event in earlier years.
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Solely kids below the age of 12, males over 55, and girls 50 years or older are eligible.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that solely about 2,000 Palestinians have been in a position to cross via the Qalandiya checkpoint in the direction of Jerusalem by the morning, amid a state of Israeli army excessive alert at checkpoints separating the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem.
‘Attending to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is a part of Palestinian custom’
“There are 3.3 million individuals within the occupied West Financial institution … so permitting solely 10,000 to hope on this primary Friday or Ramadan is a drop within the ocean, and solely a trickle have been in a position to make it in,” Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh reported from the Qalandiya checkpoint.
“In earlier years, we’ve seen as much as 250,000 worshippers in that holy web site, and now solely a fraction of that’s anticipated. And will probably be from the occupied West Financial institution, from occupied East Jerusalem itself and Palestinian-Israeli residents from inside Israel correct.”
Within the meantime, she added, “tons of of individuals are nonetheless caught on the checkpoint making an attempt to get inside, making an attempt to make it to the holy mosque, however are being barred.”
Odeh mentioned the brand new restrictions are trying to interrupt bonds between communities.
“Attending to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is a part of the Palestinian custom, which has been occurring for generations, for tons of of years. Spending the day there’s extraordinarily necessary; it’s a part of the heritage of Palestinians,” she mentioned.
However this yr, she added, many “won’t be allowed to interrupt their quick in Jerusalem as they’re used to, and that is only one extra approach that Israel is severing ties between occupied East Jerusalem and the remainder of the occupied West Financial institution”.
