Israel Allows Limited Entry of West Bank Muslims to Al-Aqsa Mosque

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced on Thursday evening, March 7, that Benjamin Netanyahu has approved security agencies' recommendations to limit the number of West Bank Muslims allowed to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan. According to the announcement, this year during Ramadan, only men over 55 years old, women over 50 years old, and children under 12 years old are permitted to perform their religious duties at Al-Aqsa Mosque. All applicants for entry to the mosque must also obtain a permit and undergo an initial security assessment, and worshippers will only be allowed to pass through designated crossings after a complete security check before entering Israel. Israel had previously announced on March 1 the implementation of 'safety restrictions' during Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Last year, amid the Gaza war, Israel also imposed restrictions on visitors and Muslim worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, particularly for Palestinians from the West Bank, under which only men aged 55 and older and women over 50 were allowed to enter the mosque area. Al-Aqsa Mosque is located at a site known as the Temple Mount in the old city of Jerusalem, and every year during Ramadan, Muslim worshippers go there for prayer. This site, which is also the holiest place in Judaism, has been a focal point of conflict between Israelis and Arabs for years. Trump congratulated the beginning of Ramadan, emphasizing support for religious freedoms. The implementation of 'safety restrictions' at Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan has been condemned by the US Secretary of State regarding the visit of the Israeli Minister of National Security to the mosque area.