Israel to Impose ‘Safety Restrictions’ at Al-Aqsa During Ramadan

JERUSALEM, 28th February 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Israel has announced that it will enforce what it terms “safety restrictions” at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins this weekend.

Each year during Ramadan, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians visit Al-Aqsa, the third holiest site in Islam, located in East Jerusalem—a region occupied and annexed by Israel. This year, Ramadan coincides with a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, which has largely brought an end to the fighting following a devastating war that claimed tens of thousands of lives in the Palestinian territories.

“The usual restrictions for public safety will be in place, as they have been every year,” said David Mencer, a spokesman for the Israeli government, in an online briefing to journalists.

Last year, during the Gaza conflict, Israeli authorities imposed stringent restrictions on those visiting Al-Aqsa, particularly targeting Palestinians coming from the occupied West Bank. Access to the mosque compound was limited to men aged 55 and older and women over 50, citing “security reasons,” while thousands of Israeli police officers were deployed throughout the Old City.

Mencer indicated that similar precautions would be implemented this year, although he did not provide specifics about the police deployment.

“What we cannot, of course, and no country would tolerate, is people attempting to incite violence or attacks on anyone else,” he said.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound holds immense significance for Palestinians, as it is a symbol of their national identity. Under longstanding agreements, Jews are permitted to visit the site but are prohibited from praying there, as it is revered as the location of the Second Temple, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

In recent years, a growing number of Jewish ultranationalists have violated these restrictions, with far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly praying at the site while serving as Israel’s national security minister in 2023 and 2024.

Despite this, the Israeli government has repeatedly stated its intention to maintain the status quo at the compound. However, concerns over its future have continued to fuel tensions and violence. Last year, despite the ongoing war in Gaza, Israel permitted Muslims to worship at Al-Aqsa in numbers comparable to previous years.

Related Information:

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, also known as Haram al-Sharif, is a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict due to its religious significance. Tensions surrounding the site have often led to clashes between Palestinians, Israeli forces, and Jewish settlers. The compound’s status remains a highly sensitive issue, with various international stakeholders calling for measures to preserve the peace and avoid further escalation. The imposition of security restrictions during Ramadan is part of broader efforts by Israel to manage access to religious sites, although such actions often spark protests and are met with criticism from Palestinians and international observers.