Palestinians outside of Old City unable to attend prayers at Al-Aqsa - report

The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf said that 1,200 Palestinians total, managed to attend Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa throughout the day.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 13:36

SOCIAL DISTANCE doesn’t seem to be a thing among those attending Eid al-Adha prayers in the Old City’s al-Aqsa compound on July 31 (photo credit: SLIMAN KHADER/FLASH90) — SOCIAL DISTANCE doesn’t seem to be a thing among those attending Eid al-Adha prayers in the Old City’s al-Aqsa compound on July 31

(photo credit: SLIMAN KHADER/FLASH90)

Israeli police have been stopping worshipers from entering the Old City to attend Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque amid the coronavirus, according to the Anadolu Agency.

Israel has been placed under a tighter lockdown as of Friday 2 p.m. and has already been restricting inter-city travel considering the recent spike in coronavirus cases throughout the country.

Anadolu Agency also reported that some Israeli police officers have fined Palestinians for allegedly violating said lockdown measures, it did not specify locations or numbers just eyewitness accounts.

The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf said that 1,200 Palestinians total, managed to attend Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa throughout the day.

The country headed into a tighter closure at 2 p.m. on Friday, just before the Health Ministry released a new set of numbers showing that more than 8,000 people were diagnosed with coronavirus the day before.

Of the 66,640 people screened for coronavirus, some 8,178 were positive – 12.2%. Some 708 people are in serious condition, including 178 on ventilators.

The closure, which is expected to last at least two weeks, involves a number of restrictions on the public, including that people are prohibited from traveling more than one kilometer from their homes. People are allowed to gather in capsules of up to 20 people within that distance, including at parks and playgrounds.

In general, people are being asked not to leave their homes to travel a distance of more than one kilometer unless for an approved reason, such as to purchase food or obtain medicine.

In all public spaces, people must wear masks and maintain a distance of two meters from each other.

Customer-facing businesses are closed, including retail establishments. Restaurants can provide delivery service only. Food stands must shutter.

Only those stores that provide essential products – food, pharmaceuticals, hygiene, optics, home maintenance, electrical or communication – can stay opened.

Swimming pools and gyms are closed, as are hairdressers and beauty salons. Hanging out at the beach is also forbidden, unless for sport, and only then if the beach is within one kilometer from home.

People cannot visit each other’s homes, unless for an approved purpose.

Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman contributed to this report.