Imam urges Palestinians to intensify presence at Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan

Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the imam at Al-Aqsa Mosque, urged Palestinians on Friday to intensify their presence at the mosque in occupied East Jerusalem during the month of Ramadan despite Israeli restrictions.

"The holy month (Ramadan) is upon us, and our Palestinian people remain steadfast on their land, refusing displacement and compromise," said Ekrima, head of the Higher Muslim Committee in Jerusalem, in a statement.

He noted that the mosque is still under Israeli siege, citing Israeli escalating measures against Palestinians coming to pray inside the mosque.

"Every year, the Israeli occupation attempts to disrupt Muslims' worship at Al-Aqsa, and this is a clear violation of the freedom of worship," Ekrima added.

The 86-year-old preacher, a staunch critic of the decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, urged Arab and Islamic countries to "unite efforts" to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Almost every year during Ramadan, Israeli authorities impose restrictions on Palestinians, limiting their access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli public broadcaster, KAN, said Sunday that police will not allow Palestinians released from jails in recent weeks to enter the flashpoint site during Ramadan.

KAN said police will deploy 3,000 personnel every day at checkpoints leading to East Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque during the fasting month.

It said police recommended granting only 10,000 permits for Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan. Permits will be given to men older than 55 and women over the age of 50, KAN said.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.

The International Court of Justice declared in July that Israel's long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, demanding the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East.