Israel bans entry of Palestinians to Jerusalem during Ramadan

Israel has placed a month-long ban during Ramadan preventing Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip from entering Jerusalem, despite being given special permissions in the previous years to visit during the holy Islamic month.

Tensions between Palestinians who attempted to scale fences to enter al-Aqsa Mosque to perform Friday prayers and Israeli security forces who fired tear gas to prevent them in the West Bank’s Bethlehem was used as an excuse for the ban.

Kamil Abu Rokon, general director of Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), said that the tension in the Gaza Strip has increased and that only Jews and peoples from the Samaritan regions are allowed to enter Jerusalem.

The ban will prevent Gazans from visiting al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam located in Jerusalem, during Ramadan. Only Palestinians over the age of 40 from other territories will be allowed to enter the holy mosque.

Tension has mounted in the Palestinian territories since last December when U.S. President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

On May 14, at least 65 Palestinian protesters in the eastern Gaza Strip were martyred and thousands more injured by Israeli army gunfire.