80 Thousand Pilgrims Fill Al-Aqsa Mosque for the First Friday Prayer of Ramadan This Year

The congregation crowded the Al-Aqsa Mosque. (Source: WAFA)

At least 80,000 worshippers attended the first Friday prayers in Ramadan this year at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City, according to the Waqf, the Jordanian authority that manages the site, amid Israel's tight restrictions in the occupied West Bank.

Moments before the prayers began, the crowds passed through the Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem, under the bright February sun after days of thick dust clouds.

The crowd walked slowly and calmly towards the gate of the complex, amid tight Israeli security. The procession stopped for a moment after a proud father stopped to take a photo of his two sons wearing white robes.

After the prayer was over, Israeli police said the activity was "business as usual," as reported by The National (20/2).

"The police are operating in a security mission, maintaining public order and regulating traffic, with the aim of enabling the arrival of tens of thousands of worshippers" to Al Aqsa and holy sites and to "carry out the freedom of worship safely, while maintaining the necessary security and safety aspects", said a statement from the police.

Although Ramadan is supposed to be a month of charity, togetherness, and kindness, there are always concerns surrounding the first Friday prayers in Jerusalem, especially since the start of the Gaza war in 2023.

For Palestinians, it's about whether they will be allowed to carry out this holy month fully, free from Israeli interference, restrictions, and provocations.

For Israelis, it's about whether the tensions of recent years might erupt in their own country, and not just in the occupied Palestinian territories, where most people dare not go.

In the days leading up to Ramadan, Israeli police promised to be ready to ensure everything goes smoothly. On Friday, everything seemed to go according to plan, except for the routine checks of several people stopped by the police.

But in Jerusalem, Ramadan is increasingly defined by what is restricted and what is allowed. Al Aqsa Mosque staff, including senior imams, have been expelled from the mosque complex this year.

Sheikh Mohammad Ali Al Abbasi, imam of Al Aqsa Mosque, was detained on Monday night from inside the mosque complex, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

The Israeli media Haaretz reported that Israeli police broke with years of custom to coordinate with the Waqf. There were also reports that the Waqf was banned from installing temporary sun and rain shelters and health posts.

Thousands of people in the occupied West Bank will not be able to attend prayers due to restrictions that Israel says are for security reasons.

Those entering from the West Bank are restricted to men over 55 years of age, women over 50 years of age, and children under 12 years of age. Israel says it will grant permits to 10,000 Palestinians from the region to enter the mosque this year, a fraction of the number who attended to commemorate the event in previous years.

WAFA reported that Palestinians holding "special permits" were denied entry into Jerusalem at checkpoints in Qalandia and Bethlehem.

There has also been tension over police easing restrictions on religious Jews visiting the compound during Ramadan. Status quo agreements typically impose restrictions on visiting non-Muslims, especially during religious holidays.

The restrictions are particularly restrictive for Jews and, until recently, any expression of Jewish religious practice was closely monitored by the police, for fear of triggering tensions with Muslims. However, this is no longer the case, and groups of Jews are regularly seen praying and singing loudly near the mosque, which is considered the third holiest site in Islam.

So far, despite having provoked widespread criticism and anger, this development has not been directly linked to clashes in Jerusalem. However, whether increased sensitivity related to Ramadan will change that remains to be seen.

Hamas accused Israel of "deliberately (humiliating) the worshippers heading to Al Aqsa Mosque through harsh military actions and continued violations" and that they were imposing "Judaization" on the site.