JERUSALEM, 18-2-2026 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation authorities, on Wednesday evening, imposed fines on Jerusalemite citizens in the vicinity of Jerusalem’s occupied Old City, according to local sources.

Sources told WAFA that the Israeli police intensified their deployment at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, set up military checkpoints to check the identities of entrants, and barred a number of young men from entering, as part of the systematic restrictions that are imposed annually during the holy month of Ramadan.

Israeli police implemented strict measures at Bab al-Asbat, one of the Old City gates leading to Al-Aqsa Mosque, stopping vehicles and issuing fines to several citizens, allegedly for obstructing traffic.

In addition, Israeli police imposed further fines on vehicles along the Silwan road, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, targeting citizens coming for prayer—a step locals described as an attempt to deter them from reaching the mosque and impose a new reality on its surroundings.

This escalation comes alongside the continued issuance of banning orders from Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City against a number of Jerusalemites, as part of a policy aimed at reducing the number of worshippers and enforcing strict restrictions on freedom of worship in the occupied city.

For years, the occupation authorities have imposed restrictions and military measures around Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, including deploying checkpoints and issuing fines, as part of a sustained policy of pressure on Jerusalemites.

T.R.