The police minister announced on Tuesday that Israel will limit the number of Muslim citizens who go the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem during the next Ramadan holy month. The reason given was that there was a possibility of protests at the flashpoint site during the Gaza conflict.
One of the holiest sites in Islam, Al Aqsa, is located in East Jerusalem. Israel took control of it during the 1967 war, and Palestinians seek to establish their own state there. Jews likewise honor this place as a remnant of their two ancient temples.
Access rules have always been a point of contention, especially for the 18% of Muslims living in Israel. This is especially true during Ramadan, which starts on March 10 this year.
In the past, Israel has placed limitations, mostly on the younger Palestinian population living in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Concerns for relapses are growing as the Gaza conflict has been going on for over four months.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the minister of national security, claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected his proposal to prevent the majority of Muslim Israelis from attending Friday prayers during Ramadan. Nevertheless, he declared that a quota of 40,000 to 50,000 would be enforced, having prevailed over officials’ demands for admissions of 120,000 to 15,000.
Arab leaders are against the cap.
He said on Army Radio on Tuesday, “My position was accepted in principle over (those who thought) a whole promenade of Israeli Arabs should be allowed in.”
Opposition congressman Ahmad Tibi, among other Arab figures, denounced the bill, calling far-right Ben-Gvir a “arsonist, but who has above him someone who is responsible and is handing him a jerrycan of petrol”.
Ben-Gvir expressed dismay that Netanyahu had rejected his suggestion granting police permission to enter the Al Aqsa site and take down any banners or placards that were put up in favor of Hamas, the Palestinian organization that Israel is battling in Gaza.
Ben-Gvir cited the suffering of the hostages in Gaza and contended that allowing such demonstrations of Hamas solidarity in the city that Israel considers its capital—a status that is not commonly acknowledged internationally—would be a “picture of defeat.”
Since Hamas began its cross-border assassination and kidnapping campaign on October 7, which set off the Gaza War, Israel has tightened restrictions on Palestinian immigration. Plans for any Palestinian access to Al Aqsa were not immediately made clear by a police official.
Several Arab Israeli residents identify as Palestinians, and some of them rioted during the most recent Gaza conflict in 2021. Such sectarian strife has not existed in this war. Ben-Gvir attributed incitement to his “zero tolerance” policy, which opponents claim involves a disproportionate amount of surveillance of Arab Israelis.
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