The Israeli authorities has determined towards placing new restrictions on entry to an necessary mosque in Jerusalem in the course of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a transfer that will scale back tensions at a web site that has lengthy been a flashpoint for unrest.
At a gathering on Tuesday night time led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, safety officers determined to let the same variety of worshipers enter the Aqsa Mosque compound throughout Ramadan as that they had in earlier years, Mr. Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned. Ramadan, whose begin is tied to the sighting of the crescent moon, is anticipated to start in a number of days.
Israel has lengthy restricted entry to the compound, which is sacred to Muslims and Jews alike, throughout Ramadan for Palestinians from the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution. This yr, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right nationwide safety minister, known as on the federal government to impose limits on Arab residents of Israel as nicely.
The choice on Tuesday put an finish to the plan promoted by Mr. Ben-Gvir, however it allowed some wiggle room. “A weekly evaluation of the safety and security features will probably be held; a call will probably be made accordingly,” an announcement from the prime minister’s workplace mentioned.
The mosque compound has repeatedly been the scene of violent clashes. Confrontations on the web site in Might 2021 contributed to the outbreak of an 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas.
With Ramadan nearing as the present Israel-Hamas conflict enters its sixth month, the worry of escalation on the web site has intensified. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden mentioned that if a cease-fire deal was not reached by Ramadan, “it’s going to be very harmful.”
Mansour Abbas, an Arab Israeli member of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, praised the choice. “I congratulate the Prime Minister for the accountable choice to permit Muslim worshipers at Al Aqsa Mosque freedom of worship,” he wrote on X, previously Twitter.
Mr. Ben-Gvir, nonetheless, expressed concern that the choice would undermine Israel’s effort to destroy the militant group Hamas, which attacked Israel on Oct. 7. “Hamas celebrations on the Temple Mount ≠ full victory,” he wrote on X, utilizing the title utilized by Jews to consult with Al Aqsa.
Hamas beforehand condemned any Israeli restrictions on worship at Al Aqsa. On Monday, a Hamas chief known as on Palestinians to show the mosque right into a web site of confrontation.
Palestinians within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution and Jerusalem ought to “flip each second of Ramadan right into a conflict and confrontation with the enemy to guard Al Aqsa,” Osama Hamdan, a Hamas chief based mostly in Beirut, advised a convention of Muslim students by video.
In Muslim custom, the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven from the location of Al Aqsa, and tens of 1000’s of Muslims go to the mosque daily throughout Ramadan. For Jews, the world is revered because the Temple Mount as a result of it was the location of two Jewish temples in antiquity that stay central to Jewish id.
Matthew Mpoke Bigg contributed reporting.
