Occupied Quds – SABA:
Around 50,000 Palestinian worshippers performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, defying heavy Israeli military restrictions and road closures, including the route leading to the Silwan neighborhood in occupied Qud.
According to the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf Department, tens of thousands gathered not only to perform Friday prayer but also held absentee funeral prayers for the martyrs of Gaza and the West Bank.
Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli forces continued to close Bab al-Asbat Road and Wadi Hilweh in Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, since Thursday evening to facilitate the passage of settlers to a nearby cemetery.
The Palestinian Safa News Agency confirmed a heavy Israeli police deployment throughout Jerusalem, particularly near Bab al-Asbat (Lion’s Gate), where vehicle movement was restricted due to settler visits to the cemetery.
Israeli forces also stopped dozens of young men at military checkpoints around the city and at entrances to the Old City gates, conducting searches and blocking access for many attempting to reach the mosque.
During the sermon, Al-Aqsa preacher Sheikh Khaled Abu Jumaa reaffirmed the sacred status of the mosque in Islam, stating:
“Al-Aqsa Mosque is a sanctified site honored by God, a place that lives in the heart of every Muslim and is tied to their faith, intellect, and soul.”
He emphasized:
“Al-Aqsa is the sole and exclusive right of Muslims. It is not just a geographical or political issue, but a matter of Islamic faith and historical truth. The mosque belongs to the Muslim nation — we are the rightful inheritors.”
Abu Jumaa called on the world — with all its religions, sects, laws, and organizations — to recognize that Al-Aqsa is part of the core belief of Muslims, not a negotiable issue.
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