JERUSALEM, April 5, 2026 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation authorities have continued to close Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City of Jerusalem for the 37th consecutive day, citing a “state of emergency” and security concerns amid the ongoing war with Iran.
The authorities are using this pretext to strengthen control over Al-Aqsa Mosque, even as calls grow to mobilize near checkpoints and surrounding areas to break the siege imposed on the holy site and demand its reopening.
For only the ninth time since 1967, Al-Aqsa was closed last Friday, leaving its courtyards, mosques, and halls empty except for a few staff from the Islamic Waqf. This marks the fifth consecutive Friday of closure.
In the streets of Jerusalem, Palestinians from the city and Israel gathered in roads and alleys to perform prayers at the closest accessible points amid restrictions and harassment.
Israeli forces were heavily deployed, particularly near the Old City walls and gates, preventing prayers near the walls and dispersing worshippers, though hundreds managed to pray on Salah al-Din Street and others at the bus station on Nablus Street.
Groups advocating for the so-called “Temple” are exploiting the Passover period, which began on April 2 and continues until April 9, to incite Israeli settlers to enter Al-Aqsa and call for “sacrificial rituals” inside the mosque.
Official and religious authorities have warned that the continued closure constitutes a severe violation of freedom of worship and a dangerous escalation that requires urgent international intervention.
M.N
