Mahmoud Illean/AP
JERUSALEM – The Muslim holy month of Ramadan arrived Monday with no information of a cease-fire in Gaza, elevating additional considerations about tensions spreading to Jerusalem, the place the Al-Aqsa mosque sits on the very middle of the Israeli-Palestinian battle.
On Sunday, Israeli police denied entry to many Palestinian males for the primary evening of Ramadan prayers. At one gate, police charged on the crowd again and hit individuals with batons.
Because the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas, Israel has restricted Palestinian entry to Al-Aqsa. Males and teenage boys underneath the age of 45, and Palestinians dwelling within the occupied West Financial institution haven’t been allowed for months. Some have been praying exterior the partitions of the outdated metropolis.
Final week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned Israel would permit entry to Al-Aqsa because it had in earlier years – when practically everybody was allowed – at the very least for the primary week. Every following week in the course of the month-long vacation could be assessed afterward, Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned, overruling the far-right minister of nationwide safety Itamar Ben-Gvir, who advocated for a close to blanket ban, together with on Muslims with Israeli citizenship.
The Jerusalem district command for the Israel police didn’t reply to NPR’s request for remark.
The compound, which Muslims check with as Al Haram Al Sharif, is made up of the long-lasting Dome of The Rock, the Al-Aqsa mosque – with the smaller grey dome, museums and different establishments – and is on a web site that’s holy to each Muslims and Jews, who understand it because the Temple Mount, the place the traditional temple stood 2,000 years in the past.
As a part of a longstanding settlement geared toward sustaining spiritual steadiness since Israel captured the outdated metropolis from Jordan in 1967, Muslims pray at Al-Aqsa, whereas Jews pray on the Western Wall, the bottom of the traditional second temple. However a rising motion of ultra-Orthodox and ultra-nationalist Jews have been going to the compound to hope, accompanied by Israeli police. A small however more and more vocal group talks about constructing the third temple the place the Dome of the Rock at the moment stands.
Daniel Seidemann, an Israeli legal professional and skilled on Jerusalem, mentioned the function of Israeli police has modified from what it was 10 years in the past, after they had been largely seen as a moderating affect.
“The police had been one thing of a referee between all sides, and their objective was to take care of order. They’re now in league with the Temple Mount motion,” Seidemann mentioned. “Every day Israel violates the established order by any interpretation.”
Palestinians concern dropping the proper to worship at Al-Aqsa
Lately, because the Israeli authorities has leaned additional proper, there was a gradual shrinking of Palestinian areas.
Friday prayers on the web site often have a festive environment, attracting round 50,000 individuals, most come dressed of their finest garments and linger after prayers. However on the Friday earlier than Ramadan started, Israeli police closely restricted entry for worshippers. There was additionally an unusually giant police presence near the worshiping websites, the place usually, they might be positioned additional away. All of this has heightened anxiousness and concern amongst Palestinians that they are going to be barred from exercising their proper to worship.
18-year-old Rushdiyyah, who lives in Jerusalem and spoke to NPR on the situation of not utilizing her full title, fearing Israeli police, mentioned she had by no means seen the mosque so empty, particularly for pre-Ramadan Friday prayers.
“It is actually distressing. That is our mosque, we’ve got a proper to be right here,” including that she’s going to come day by day of the month.
With the diminishing hope for a future Palestinian state, the rise of settlements within the occupied West Financial institution and rising limitations on Palestinian motion, many, particularly Palestinian youth, have come to see Al-Aqsa because the final web site to defend.
“That is what’s left for the Palestinian as a sort of identification,” mentioned Zakariya Al Qaq, a Palestinian nationwide safety skilled. “And this is essential. They really feel that it’s underneath menace. And in the event that they lose it or one thing occurs to Al-Aqsa mosque, then every little thing is misplaced.”
Hamas typically invokes Al-Aqsa to be able to provoke help or incite an rebellion. The group named the Oct. 7 assault, wherein 1200 individuals had been killed and dozens taken hostage, “Al-Aqsa flood” citing threats to the mosque as the explanation.
A fuse for the Israeli-Palestinian battle, Al-Aqsa sensitivity will increase throughout Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month within the Islamic lunar calendar and for Muslims around the globe, it is a month of non secular reflection, charity, prayers and abstinence from foods and drinks throughout daylight.
“We think about Ramadan to be the month of Al Quds (Jerusalem), it is the month of Al-Aqsa mosque, and we’ve got been making ready to welcome as many worshippers as we are able to,” mentioned Omar Al-Kiswani, the director of Al-Aqsa.
There are a number of Ramadan-specific actions that happen on the compound, together with the breaking of the quick, lectures and nightly prayers. Fridays and different days which can be thought of particularly holy can appeal to over 200,000 worshippers.
These actions will nonetheless happen, however for a lot of Palestinians the celebrations of the holy month are overshadowed by the struggle in Gaza. Usually, the mosque space is embellished with lights and lanterns, however not this yr.
Lately, Israeli police raids on Al-Aqsa throughout Ramadan have offended Muslims worldwide. Movies of Israeli police charging into the mosque and firing tear fuel and rubber bullets, as they had been chasing protesters who had been throwing stones, typically go viral on social media. In 2021, the 11-day struggle between Hamas and Israel in Gaza was partly sparked by outrage over the mosque raids.
Now, at a time when the area is already on edge over the struggle in Gaza, and with greater than 31,000 Palestinians killed, consultants warn the slightest rigidity over the mosque might have the facility to engulf the entire area in a much bigger struggle, probably even a spiritual one.
“A perceived menace to Al-Aqsa at this second could be taking part in with hearth,” Al Qaq mentioned.