On February 16, 2026, Israeli police announced a massive “day and night” deployment around the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem for the holy month of Ramadan. Senior officer Arad Braverman confirmed that thousands of personnel will be stationed to monitor the site, which traditionally draws hundreds of thousands of worshippers. However, the move comes amid a flurry of new restrictions that Palestinian officials describe as a “systematic policy of exclusion.”
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The Jerusalem Governorate reported that Israel has barred the Jordanian-run Islamic Waqf from essential preparations, including the installation of sunshades and the setup of temporary medical clinics. Furthermore, over 250 exclusion orders have been issued since January, banning specific individuals, including Al-Aqsa Imam Sheikh Muhammad al-Abbasi, from the compound. In a move that has sparked outrage, extremist groups have also announced an extension of Jewish incursion hours at the site during the first week of fasting.
Israeli police said on Monday that they would deploy in force around the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramazan, which begins this week, as Palestinian officials accused Israel of imposing restrictions at the compound.https://t.co/PpAEDOoEzz
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) February 16, 2026
The Palestinian leadership has urged the international community to intervene, warning that these “provocative measures” undermine the historic status quo. Despite the curbs, the Waqf has called on all Palestinians to maintain a presence at the mosque to support Jerusalem’s residents.
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