Israel has stationed thousands of soldiers in the streets of the Old City leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Many accesses for Palestinians denied. Not even a tourist on the street. The believers were forced to pray outside
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Extraordinary security measures are in place in East Jerusalem, where 2,500 police officers were deployed for Friday prayers in the Old City. The number of believers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque was unusually small. Activities are currently at a standstill.
“The situation is very difficult. There are closures and restrictions, including when it comes to the procurement of food, vegetables and meat. Everything is difficult, the prices are very high. And the city is empty. Access for women, children and young people is prohibited. How can I work?” Wadi’a Halawani, a local trader, is desperate.
Even tourists have left the streets. The same goes for most Jews in the Old City. Security checks are constant, Palestinian residents say. The closer you get to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the greater the tension becomes. The soldiers monitor access and block several people.
Those who were prevented from entering the mosque prayed outside. “They are savages,” a Palestinian woman tells Euronews. “You saw with your own eyes how they grabbed me and attacked me to prevent me from entering.”
In the end, Friday prayers ended without any serious incidents. The streets of ancient Jerusalem are quiet again. But tensions are high. And many fear that the long-standing antagonism between the Jewish and Arab communities could worsen.