Despite tensions which have continued to grow in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem over the past five months in the context of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Muslim faithful will be allowed to pray on the Esplanade of the Mosques of Jerusalem during Ramadan, the Israeli government said Tuesday, March 5, in a statement.
“During the first week of Ramadan, worshipers will be allowed to enter the Temple Mount, as was the case in previous years. Every week, there will be an assessment of the situation on security and safety aspects and a decision will be taken accordingly,” the government said in a statement. “We will do everything to guarantee freedom of worship on the Temple Mount and allow Muslims to celebrate [Ramadan], while taking into account security requirements,” declared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. opening of a meeting dedicated to Ramadan.
Tens of thousands of worshipers flock to the esplanade each year during the Muslim month of fasting, which this year will begin on March 10 or 11. The Esplanade des Mosques (or Temple Mount for Jews) is the third holiest site in Islam and the holiest place in Judaism. If this Muslim holy site is administered by Jordan, Israel imposes restrictions there, in particular on the number of faithful or their age.
Strong tensions and clashes in previous years
While the holy place has often been the scene of strong tensions and even clashes in recent years between Muslim faithful and Israeli security forces in the middle of Ramadan, as in 2022 or even last year, the context is particularly tense this year in due to the war raging in the Gaza Strip, following the unprecedented attack by Palestinian Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Israeli Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, head of a far-right group favorable to Jewish control of the esplanade, called last month to prohibit access to Palestinians from the occupied West Bank during Ramadan. “Hamas celebrations on the Temple Mount? complete victory,” Mr. Ben Gvir posted on X shortly after the Israeli government’s announcement on Tuesday.
The United States, for its part, called on Israel last week to “facilitate access to the Temple Mount for peaceful worshipers during Ramadan, in accordance with past practices.”
Egyptian, American and Qatari mediators are trying to extract a compromise from Israel and Hamas in order to obtain a truce agreement in the Gaza Strip before the start of Ramadan. US President Joe Biden warned on Tuesday of a “very dangerous” situation particularly in Jerusalem if hostilities continue in Gaza during Ramadan.
