Khaberni - For the thirtieth consecutive day, the Israeli occupation authorities continue to close the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, preventing worshippers from accessing it, due to the ongoing emergency situation in the country following the Israeli-American war on Iran, which has been ongoing since February 28th.
The occupation authorities have decided to keep the Al-Aqsa Mosque closed until April 15, 2026, in a move considered the longest since the occupation of Jerusalem in 1967, as informed by the Islamic Waqf in the city.
Strict Restrictions
Clips shared on social media platforms showed restrictions that prevented last Friday's prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, where Israeli police were heavily deployed at the entrances of the Old City and the gates of the mosque, forcing hundreds to pray in nearby streets.
Activists also documented a video showing an elderly man in the streets of the Old City entrances calling on people and worshippers, "Al-Aqsa is calling you, Al-Aqsa is in danger, tighten your belts and march to Al-Aqsa, advance on Al-Aqsa."
The tightening measures did not only target Muslims but also affected Christian holy sites, as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre remained closed to worshippers and visitors, reflecting a comprehensive policy to isolate the holy city from its surroundings.
Activists and Bloggers' Anger
With a full month since the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, activists and bloggers continue to express their rejection and protest on social media, highlighting their condemnation of preventing worshippers from accessing the blessed mosque, and shedding light on the ongoing repression of the freedom of worship in the holy city.
Users pointed out that the reasons and excuses of the occupation authorities to close the Al-Aqsa Mosque are baseless and false. One of them wrote, "It almost drives one mad, by Allah, the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque has been closed for 30 days, no prayers are held, no call to prayer is raised, and the nation sleeps as if it sees and hears nothing. What kind of neglect is this?"
Others added, "30 days and the minarets are silent in the Messenger of Allah's journey, peace be upon him... This is not ordinary neglect, this is a clinical death of the nation’s conscience. Al-Aqsa needs not our tears, but men who bravely protect it as their forefathers did. Sorry, O Jerusalem, for we have replaced responsiveness with silence."
Other users mentioned that the silence regarding what Al-Aqsa is going through is not limited to any specific party, asserting that the holy sites are a trust upon everyone without exception, questioning, "A whole month without prayer, no standing, even in the lone Friday of Ramadan, the Night of Decree, and Eid al-Fitr... How long will this total silence continue?"
Observers believe that the silence and the absence of a significant Arab and Islamic stance have encouraged the occupation to extend the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, although the pretext of "the state of emergency" does not apply to other mosques, sites, and areas in Jerusalem.
Imposing the Settler Presence over the Islamic Presence
Activists and specialists warn that Al-Aqsa Mosque is going through one of its most dangerous phases in decades, amid attempts by the occupation government to impose a new reality, by extending the hours of intrusion to 9 hours a day for Jews, compared to 9 hours for Muslims, in an attempt to establish "equal division" within Al-Aqsa Mosque, paving the way for further changes in the religious function of the place.
They added that preparing to impose a full temporal division includes making the Jewish presence a permanent part of the daily program inside Al-Aqsa, aiming to later bring more significant changes.
They noted that the Israeli government is seeking to reinvade the area of Dar al-Hadith and the eastern plaza, and tighten restrictions on worshippers at the Gate of Mercy, with the goal of full control over the eastern section of the mosque, as it is one of the areas targeted for Judaization and division of the location.
