Occupied Jerusalem, March 3 (SANA) Israeli authorities have kept Al-Aqsa Mosque closed to worshippers for the fourth consecutive day, blocking access for Ramadan prayers. The closure began Saturday under tight security measures and followed a wide-ranging attack launched by Israel and the United States on Iran.
The Palestinian Information Center reported Tuesday that Israeli occupation forces reinforced their military presence around the mosque and the gates of Jerusalem’s Old City, turning the area into a heavily secured zone. The report said worshippers were prevented from reaching the mosque’s gates and that several individuals were assaulted.
The Palestinian Scholars Association described the closure as “a serious religious and humanitarian crime,” saying it violates the right to worship and aims to impose what it called a new reality under security and emergency measures.
The association urged Arab and Islamic countries to take action to halt what it described as ongoing violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque and to ensure protection for Jerusalem’s holy sites.
An academic specializing in Jerusalem affairs said that expanding time-based restrictions at Al-Aqsa during religious seasons represents a gradual attempt to alter the long-standing status quo governing the site.
R.A
