Israeli occupation authorities have approved a series of tightened measures aimed at restricting Palestinian access to Al-Aqsa Mosque ahead of the holy month of Ramadan and imposing a new security reality in the city, according to Jerusalem Governorate Advisor Ma’rouf Al-Rifai.
In a press statement on Sunday, Al-Rifai said the plan—approved by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz—stipulates that the number of worshippers arriving from the West Bank on Fridays during Ramadan will be capped at 10,000, with the possibility of increasing the number to 12,000 subject to a security assessment and approval by Israel’s political leadership.
He explained that the restrictions are not limited to numbers but also include age limitations. Entry will be permitted for men over the age of 55, women over 50, and children under 10 accompanied by their parents, provided they obtain prior security approval.
Al-Rifai added that a new security evaluation will be conducted before the last ten days of Ramadan—traditionally the peak period of religious attendance at Al-Aqsa—raising the possibility of further tightened measures.
He confirmed that Jerusalem will witness an intensified security presence around Al-Aqsa, the Old City, and neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, in addition to reinforced forces at checkpoints, friction points, and along the separation barrier, further isolating the city from its Palestinian surroundings.
In a related development, Al-Rifai pointed to an escalation in expulsion orders from Al-Aqsa, noting that more than 1,000 Palestinians have been barred from the mosque over the past two months—an unprecedented increase aimed at reducing the Palestinian presence at the site.
He also stated that a decision has been made to extend the morning hours of settler incursions during Ramadan. Incursions will begin at 6:30 a.m. instead of 7:00 a.m. and will continue until 11:30 a.m. rather than 11:00 a.m., effectively adding an extra hour daily.
Al-Rifai further noted intensified monitoring of calls for i‘tikaf (religious retreat) inside Al-Aqsa, revealing that Israeli authorities arrested a young man from Umm al-Fahm after he called for observing i‘tikaf during Ramadan, indicating heightened sensitivity toward collective religious mobilization at the mosque.
Regarding the impact of these measures, he said the restrictions would directly affect commercial and social activity in the Old City, which relies during Ramadan on the influx of worshippers from Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Palestinian communities inside Israel. He warned that reducing the number of worshippers would negatively affect local markets and undermine the religious and social role of Jerusalem’s residents.
Al-Rifai concluded that the situation in the city will remain contingent on Israeli security decisions, suggesting that any further tightening could lead to field tensions, while maintaining the current level of restrictions may result in cautious and temporary calm during Ramadan.
— Al-Mamlaka
