JAKARTA - Israel plans to continue closing the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which has entered its 17th consecutive day until Eid al-Fitr, with the excuse of security.
For the first time since 1967, Israeli authorities prevented worshippers from performing prayers and religious rituals at Al-Aqsa Mosque, as worshippers did not attend the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.
The Jerusalem Provincial Government has warned of an increase in dangerous incitement led by the extremist organization called "Temple Mount" against the Al-Aqsa Mosque, amid ongoing closures, reported WAFA (16/3).
The government emphasized that what happened could not be considered a temporary security measure, as claimed by the Israeli authorities, but rather a part of a political and ideological approach aimed at changing the religious, historical, and legal status quo in the mosque complex.
Separately, Middle East Eye reported that Israel would continue to close the Al-Aqsa Mosque until the upcoming Eid al-Fitr and beyond.
A source familiar with the affairs of the mosque in occupied East Jerusalem said Israeli authorities had informed the Islamic Waqf, the body responsible for managing the site, of the decision in recent days.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest sites in Islam, was closed by Israeli authorities earlier this month, citing "security" amid the US-Israeli war against Iran.
The unprecedented closures, especially during Ramadan, have been condemned by the Palestinians as Israel's latest attempt to exploit security tensions to impose further restrictions and strengthen its control over Al-Aqsa.
This is the first Ramadan since Israel captured East Jerusalem in 1967, where Palestinians cannot perform Friday prayers in the mosque.
Last week, eight Muslim-majority countries condemned the "unjustified" closure, saying Israel "has no sovereignty" over the holy site and must immediately lift the restrictions.
However, the closure continues unchecked. Friday prayers and Tarawih prayers are still prohibited, and Palestinians are prohibited from entering the site, with a large presence of Israeli forces in the Old City.
Since the closure, no more than 25 Waqf staff members have been allowed to enter the vast mosque complex per shift.
It is known that the Al-Aqsa Mosque has been regulated under the status quo for decades, or an international arrangement, which preserves its religious status as an exclusive Islamic site.
Under this status quo, the administration of the site, including control over access, is under the Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem, a Jordanian-appointed religious waqf agency responsible for managing the mosque complex.
However, since Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, Palestinians say this arrangement has gradually eroded through increased restrictions on access for Muslims while Jewish presence and Israeli control have expanded.
Israeli control over East Jerusalem, including the Old City, violates several principles of international law, which stipulate that the occupying power has no sovereignty over the territory it occupies and cannot make permanent changes there.
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