In a historic and somber turn of events, hundreds of Palestinian worshippers were forced to perform Eidul Fitr prayers on the streets outside Jerusalem’s Old City gates this Friday. For the first time since 1967, Israeli authorities completely closed access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, during the final days of Ramadan and for the Eid holiday. The closure, which also affected the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall, was attributed to severe security risks stemming from the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Israeli police cited the danger of falling shrapnel from intercepted Iranian missiles and a nationwide ban on gatherings exceeding 50 people to justify the restrictions.
Thousands of Palestinian worshippers gathered in the streets of the Old City today to perform Eid al-Fitr prayers after Israeli authorities enforced a total closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Citing “security emergencies” related to the ongoing regional war, authorities… pic.twitter.com/7c4vNNdvbY
— Roya News English (@RoyaNewsEnglish) March 20, 2026
The atmosphere was described by local residents as “catastrophic” and “heartbreaking,” with the usual crowds of 100,000 worshippers replaced by a few hundred people under heavy police surveillance. While some worshippers attempted to enter the Old City, they were repelled by security forces, leading to brief skirmishes and the use of tear gas. Eventually, a short sermon was held near Herod’s Gate, where an imam prayed for “victory to the oppressed” before the crowd dispersed. While authorities maintain the measures are life-saving guidelines, many Palestinians expressed deep concern that the protracted closure represents a fundamental shift in the rules governing access to Jerusalem’s holy sites.
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