Tel Aviv, February 25, 2025: As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, Israel has announced stringent new restrictions on Palestinian access to Al-Aqsa Mosque, further limiting entry to the sacred site.
According to Arab media reports citing Israeli sources, only men over 55, women over 50, and children under 12 will be allowed entry during Ramadan. Palestinians recently released from Israeli prisons under the Gaza ceasefire agreement and relocated to the West Bank will also be denied access.
Additionally, individuals wishing to visit Al-Aqsa must now submit prior requests to Israeli authorities. To further control attendance, a maximum of 10,000 worshippers will be permitted to participate in Friday prayers throughout Ramadan.
The decision has drawn criticism from Palestinian leaders and rights groups, who view it as a violation of religious freedoms and an escalation of Israel’s restrictions on Palestinian worshippers.
Meanwhile, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has once again sparked outrage with a provocative visit to the Al-Aqsa compound. According to foreign news agencies, Ben-Gvir entered the site and prayed there despite long-standing regulations prohibiting Jewish prayer at the location.
His visit was swiftly condemned by the Palestinian Authority and Jordan, which labeled the move a deliberate provocation aimed at escalating tensions. In a joint statement, they reaffirmed that Al-Aqsa’s status as an Islamic holy site must be upheld and that Israeli actions risk further destabilizing the region.
Israel seized East Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and later annexed it in a move widely rejected by the international community. While Jewish visitors are permitted at the Al-Aqsa compound, Israeli law officially prohibits Jewish prayer at the site.
Following his visit, Ben-Gvir posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I went to my Temple Mount to pray for the release of Israeli hostages and for Israel’s complete victory in Gaza.” His remarks further fueled tensions as dozens of Israeli hostages remain in captivity by Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, in Gaza.
Al-Aqsa Mosque, located in East Jerusalem, is Islam’s third holiest site and holds deep religious significance for Christians and Jews as well. It remains one of the most contested locations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both communities asserting historical and spiritual claims over the site.
