Palestinians defy coronavirus lockdown to celebrate Eid al-Fitr

A number of mosques in the nearby towns of Halhoul, Sa’ir, Bet Ula, Durra and Bet Kahel were also reopened for the festival prayer.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Palestinians perform Eid al-Fitr prayers marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, outside the compound housing al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem's Old City May 24, 2020. (photo credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)
Palestinians perform Eid al-Fitr prayers marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions, outside the compound housing al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem's Old City May 24, 2020.
(photo credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)
The Palestinian Authority was forced on Sunday to partially ease restrictions enforced to prevent the spread of coronavirus after Palestinians took to the streets, demanding that they be permitted to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim festival marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Last week, the PA government announced a blanket lockdown on Palestinian cities and villages in the West Bank during the festival, a move that sparked widespread protests, particularly because of the continued closure of mosques.
Muslims celebrate the first day of Eid al-Fitr by performing an early morning prayer at mosques.
On Saturday night, hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated in Hebron to protest the restrictions, including the closure of mosques and businesses.
The demonstrators marched toward the headquarters of the PA security forces in the city, chanting “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) and “We want to celebrate Eid al-Fitr.”
Shortly after the protest, a senior PA security official announced that some mosques in Hebron would be opened for prayers.
A number of mosques in the nearby towns of Halhoul, Sa’ir, Beit Ula, Dura and Beit Kahil were also reopened for the festival prayer.
Mosques in Nablus, Tulkarm, Bethlehem and Jenin also were reopened on Sunday morning following similar protests.
In other places in the West Bank where mosques remained closed, worshipers prayed in public squares and soccer stadiums.
In some areas, protesters clashed with PA security officers and blocked entrances to villages and towns with burning tires. In the town of Burkin, near Jenin, protesters set fire to a tent at a PA security forces checkpoint. No one was hurt.
In Dehaishe refugee camp, near Bethlehem, hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated against the PA and its security forces to protest an incident during which police officers shot and wounded two local residents. The protesters later broke locks at the door of a mosque to perform prayers.
Kamel Hmeid, the PA governor of Bethlehem, announced that a special commission of inquiry had been set up to investigate the incident.
“What we saw in the past 24 hours was a mini-intifada against the harsh restrictions imposed by the Palestinian government,” said Abdullah Joulani, a resident of Hebron. “The people feel that these measures are exaggerated. If people are allowed to go to shopping malls, why can’t they pray at their mosques?”
Bilal al-Haj, a merchant from Bethlehem, said the PA did the right thing by easing restrictions imposed during Eid al-Fitr.
“Many businesses in the city opened on Saturday night in defiance of the lockdown,” he said. “The economy here is very bad because Bethlehem has been sealed off since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis.”


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