Israel to set security limits on Ramadan prayers at Al Aqsa, Netanyahu says
File photo: Muslim worshippers walk in front of the Dome of the Rock ahead of Friday prayer in the al-Aqsa compound, also known to Jews as the Temple Mount, in Jerusalem's Old City February 9, 2024. REUTERS/Sinan Abu Mayzer/File photo
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he had made a "balanced decision" to allow freedom of worship at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, but that access would be limited according to security needs.
Asked about the possibility of blocking access for Israeli Muslims to Al Aqsa, a flashpoint prayer site in Jerusalem's Old City, Netanyahu's office said: "The prime minister made a balanced decision to allow freedom of worship within the security needs determined by professionals." It gave no details.
Israel often sets limits on which worshippers can reach the prayer site - for example based on age - in order to avoid violence from erupting at the site, which is part of a compound also holy in Judaism.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
