RAMALLAH, Saturday, March 21, 2020 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation forces on Saturday issued a fine worth $1400 to the head of the Waqf Council of Jerusalem, Sheikh Abdul-Azim Salhab, on the pretext of allowing Muslim worshipers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem on Friday.

Salhab told WAFA that an Israeli police force raided his home in occupied Jerusalem and handed him a fine order worth 5,000 shekels (about $1,400) for not closing the compound to Muslim worshipers who entered the site yesterday to perform the weekly Friday prayer.

Last week, the Jerusalem Waqf Council decided to shut down all ceiled buildings inside the Mosque compound as part of ongoing precautionary measures against the spread of novel COVID-19 (coronavirus), but resolved that prayers at the yards of the compound will remain allowed for the time being.

The weekly Friday prayer was held yesterday as per the Waqf‘s instructions with worshipers leaving a two-meter space between each other in order to reduce any chance of coronavirus spread.

Salhab said the Israeli government is dealing with double standards by continuing to allow Jewish fanatics into the Muslim holy sites until now, while claiming that the entry of Muslim worshipers to the compound goes against the precautions against COVID-19.

M.N