Dozens attend Passover prayers at Western Wall as Al-Aqsa remains closed

Israeli authorities have barred Muslim Palestinians from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem since 28 February, marking a total closure of one of Islam’s holiest sites not seen since the start of the occupation in 1967. No exceptions have been made for Muslims, even during Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month, or the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Israeli authorities have also closed Christian holy sites in the Old City, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and have barred worshippers from attending Easter celebrations. Only up to 15 members of the clergy were allowed inside the church to mark Easter on Sunday. Meanwhile, up to 50 Jewish worshippers were permitted on Sunday to visit the Western Wall, which is part of the walls of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex and known to Muslims as the Buraq Wall. Attendees were able to participate in the traditional priestly blessing ceremony as part of the Passover holiday, held in a covered space by the Western Wall plaza. Double Standards: Under the pretext of security and “threat of missiles,” the occupation authorities continue to restrict Muslim access to Al-Aqsa Mosque for over 36 days. pic.twitter.com/PfIYnHxNrp — Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) April 5, 2026 Elsewhere in the country, thousands attended a Passover event at a hall in Bnei Brak, in central Israel. The gathering took place despite central Israel being one of the areas most heavily hit by Iranian missile strikes in the midst of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic. Dozens of people were also seen gathering for Passover celebrations in the Mamilla neighbourhood of Jerusalem, near the Old City. Last month, dozens of Israelis gathered in Jerusalem and other areas to mark the Purim holiday, despite wartime restrictions on gatherings, which were being strictly enforced on Palestinians. 'There is no safety justification for the restrictions at Al-Aqsa; this is a blatant violation of freedom of worship' - Ahmad Tibi, Palestinian member of Knesset Since the war on Iran began, Israel has placed the Old City of Jerusalem under a tight lockdown, preventing anyone not residing within the Old City walls from entering, while keeping Al-Aqsa Mosque closed. Israeli authorities have stated that the closure is a security measure to protect against Iranian missiles. However, Palestinians have rejected Israel’s justification, arguing that the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque is part of a broader effort to seize control of the site from Palestinians. Ahmad Tibi, a Palestinian citizen of Israel and member of parliament (Knesset), criticised the ongoing closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday and called for its reopening, along with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. “The High Court’s decision allowing demonstrations of up to 600 people, alongside mass Purim celebrations that passed without interference, exposes the truth: there is no safety justification for the restrictions at Al-Aqsa; this is a blatant violation of freedom of worship,” he said. “The police are acting forcefully against worshippers at Herod’s Gate and at the entrances to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This is selective enforcement driven by political motives,” he added. Proposal to resume Al-Aqsa raids Following prayers at the Western Wall on Sunday, the Israeli High Court ruled to allow up to 100 people, rather than 50, to gather at both the Western Wall and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Although there had been a limit of 50 people outdoors for gatherings since the start of the Iran war, Israeli forces have not permitted any worshippers, whether Jewish or Muslim, into Al-Aqsa Mosque during this period. Israel's closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque is an act of war Read More » Sources previously told Middle East Eye that access had been limited to just 25 Waqf staff per shift, responsible for the upkeep of the vast 14-hectare complex. Last week, Israeli forces reportedly denied entry to seven staff members despite them being on shift. It remains unclear whether the new 100-person limit will allow Palestinian worshippers to return to the mosque. MEE previously reported that Israel had informed the Waqf, an Islamic endowment, that the mosque would remain closed at least until mid-April. The decision to raise the public gathering limit to 100 came after pressure from Israeli religious and far-right leaders, following the High Court’s approval for 600 people to participate in anti-war protests. According to Ynet, Israeli police - overseen by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir - have prepared a proposal to allow 150 “Jewish and Muslim worshippers” into Al-Aqsa Mosque. Ben Gvir stated that since protests were permitted, he was “obliged to ensure justice and prevent discrimination” against worshippers seeking access to the Western Wall and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. “The High Court must allow access both to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall in small groups,” he added, using the Israeli name for the hill upon which Al-Aqsa Mosque stands. Before the war on Iran, Israeli settlers used to raid the Al-Aqsa Mosque under heavy police protection twice daily, except on weekends, in violation of the long-standing status quo. The decades-old international arrangement stipulates that Al-Aqsa Mosque is an Islamic site and that Muslim authorities should govern access. 'Allowing ‘small groups of only 150 people’ onto the Temple Mount is more than the maximum group size Jews have ever been allowed to enter' - Arnon Segal, Temple Mount activist Israeli forces have routinely ignored this agreement, facilitating daily incursions by ultra-nationalist settlers. These incursions were paused at the start of the war. It is unclear whether the proposed police framework would allow them to resume. If resumed at a limit of 150 people at a time, it would exceed the pre-war cap of around 100 settlers raiding the site at a time. The framework proposed by the police, which still requires High Court approval, was celebrated by one of Israel’s most prominent Temple Mount activists, who organises the Al-Aqsa Mosque raids. “Allowing ‘small groups of only 150 people’ onto the Temple Mount is more than the maximum group size Jews have ever been allowed to enter with, even on the busiest and most crowded days,” wrote Arnon Segal on his X account. “A dream. Credit to Minister Ben Gvir for not letting the Mount be forgotten for a moment, and above all, for equating the Western Wall and the Mount. A historic development that is by no means self-evident,” he added. Occupation News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0