Israel Denies Access to Al-Aqsa Mosque During Eid al-Fitr (VIDEOS)

(SeaPRwire) –   For the first time since 1967, Muslims are being barred from entering the holy site during one of Islam’s major holidays

Israeli authorities have kept the Al-Aqsa Mosque—one of Jerusalem’s most sacred Muslim sites—closed, even as Muslims worldwide observe Eid al-Fitr on the final Friday of Ramadan.

The closure of the compound due to the Iran conflict means worshipers cannot celebrate the holiday at the location for the first time since 1967.

Footage shows that on Friday, large numbers of people assembled in Jerusalem for prayer, but Israeli security forces at checkpoints deployed tear gas to prevent them from reaching the Old City gates.

On February 28, Israel limited access to the Old City and Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, citing security reasons, while conducting a joint strike against Iran with the United States.

As the conflict approaches its fourth week, the mosque stays closed. In early March, eight mainly Muslim countries—Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE—released a joint statement denouncing the shutdown.

“Restrictions on accessing Jerusalem’s Old City and its houses of worship, along with biased and random limitations on entering other religious sites in the Old City, represent a clear breach of international law,” the group declared, emphasizing that Israel possesses “no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy places.”

As Easter approaches, Israeli security measures in the Old City also threaten Christian observances. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre—Christianity’s holiest site—stays closed, raising worries about the Holy Fire ceremony, a key Orthodox tradition celebrated each Holy Saturday. Scheduled for April 11 this year, it remains uncertain if Christian clergy and faithful will gain access to the church.

The Russian Orthodox Church has voiced concerns about these restrictions, hoping the church’s closure won’t interfere with the Holy Fire’s transfer. Among Orthodox Christians, failing to receive the Holy Fire is considered an ill omen and possibly a harbinger of Armageddon.