(28 Mar 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jerusalem – 28 March 2025
1. Various of Muslims worshipers praying in the courtyard outside the Dome of the Rock at the compound of al-Aqsa Mosque
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abu Mounir Samreen, from the West Bank:
“After two years of not being able to be in this holy place, beloved to the hearts of all Muslims, God allows us to come to this pure place, to pray, to read the Quran and to get to know each other. We experienced difficulties on the way here including, checkpoints, inspection, precise inspection and walking long distances.”
3. Various of worshippers inside al-Aqsa Mosque
4. Wide of worshippers outside the mosque
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Muhammed Jahjouh, from Hebron in the West Bank:
“There is a complete ban on coming here from the West Bank. Less than 5 percent were able to come. If the West Bank were open, the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque would not be enough for people to pray. People would pray in the streets."
7. Various of worshippers walking to the Dome of the Rock Mosque
8. Close of dome
9. Pull out to wide of mosque and crowd
STORYLINE:
Some 75,000 Muslim worshippers gathered for the last Friday prayers of Ramadan at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, according to the Islamic Trust, which oversees the site.
The prayers took place amid tensions after Israel returned to war and resumed its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, and military escalation with Lebanon.
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Israeli government blocked Palestinians in the West Bank from crossing to Jerusalem or visiting Israel.
During previous Fridays in Ramadan, Israel only allowed men over 55 and women over 50 to enter from the occupied territory for the prayers.
Muhammed Jahjouh, who was visiting from the West Bank city of Hebron said only 5 per cent of people were able to cross into Jerusalem.
"If the West Bank were open, the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque would not be enough for people to pray. People would pray in the streets,” he said.
The Old City is located in east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed to its capital in a move not recognized internationally.
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