The Al-Aqsa compound was unusually empty on Friday as Israeli police appeared to have restricted access to some worshipers. Ivana Kottasova
It’s midday in Jerusalem and tensions are high. There is a palpable nervousness as the Holy City marks the first Friday since Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel and subsequent Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Fridays can be a stressful time in Jerusalem, as protests and clashes often occur in the Old City. Friday’s congregational prayer is an important ritual for Muslims who pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
It appears that Israeli police are restricting access to the site. Access from the West Bank has been restricted and police are selective about who is allowed in.
The area is significantly emptier than expected on Fridays, even though prayers are about to begin.
Many streets in Jerusalem remained deserted on Friday, and a significant police and military presence was seen throughout the city.
Some context: The Al-Aqsa compound is one of the most revered places in Islam and Judaism. The holy site, known to Muslims as Al Haram Al Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as the Temple Mount, has been a flashpoint of tensions between Israel and the Palestinians for decades.
Due to a status quo agreement originally made more than a century ago, only Muslims are allowed to pray on the site. Non-Muslim visitors are permitted to visit at certain times and only in certain areas of the complex.
But many in the Muslim world fear that the right to be the only worshipers there has been eroded and that the sites themselves are under threat from a growing far-right Jewish movement and Israel’s far-right government.
There have been frequent clashes between Palestinian worshipers and Israeli forces at the site. Last year, police carried out several raids on the site.
In a statement, Hamas said it launched Saturday’s “Al-Aqsa Storm” attack on Israel in part to defend the holy site.