Protest in London over closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque

LONDON

Protesters on Saturday gathered in central London to condemn Israel's closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest mosque, to Muslim worshippers.

Israel has kept Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem closed since the start of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, while allowing only about 50 worshippers to pray at Ibrahimi Mosque in the occupied West Bank.

The demonstration took place in front of the Palace of Westminster, with people attending the protest criticizing Israel’s decision to shut the gates of the mosque and highlighting what they described as threats to the site.

After a march organized to condemn restrictions on the holy place, protesters performed the noon prayer together.

Many participants carried Palestinian flags and wore keffiyehs during the demonstration.

Palestinian officials said Israeli restrictions on prayer at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron “violate freedom of worship” and aim to assert control over the two holy sites.

Israel divided the Ibrahimi Mosque in 1994, allocating about 63% of the site to Jewish worshippers and 37% to Muslims, after a settler massacre on Feb. 25 of that year that killed 29 Muslim worshippers.

The mosque is normally opened fully to Muslim worshippers only 10 days each year, including Fridays during Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Israʾ and Miʿraj, the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, and the Islamic New Year.

During the final days of Ramadan, the mosque is usually crowded with worshippers and fully opened to Muslims on the 27th night of Ramadan and during Eid. It remains unclear whether Israel will allow it this year.

Ibrahimi Mosque is located in Hebron’s Old City, an area under full Israeli control.