JERUSALEM: The Israeli occupation police today shut down Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City and prevented Muslim worshippers from entering it, according to Palestinian news agency (WAFA), citing the Islamic Waqf department, the Muslim endowment in charge of the holy place.
It said the police abruptly and in a surprise move shut down all gates leading to the walled holy compound and prevented all Muslims of all ages from entering it.
It said that the occupation police tightened entry into the Mosque since the morning, where only the elderly were allowed to enter.
However, this quickly changed and all worshippers of all ages were denied entry into Al-Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, which was an unusual move not taken for months, WAFA reported.
At the same time, the police allowed Jews to enter the Muslim holy compound in the morning to walk around and hold rituals freely in violation of the status quo at the mosque, which says it is a purely Muslim worship area. – BERNAMA-WAFA
