Occupation Imposes 'Magnetic Card' and Strict Security Permits for Friday Prayer at Al-Aqsa

The Central Command of the Israeli occupation army announced the completion of its security and field arrangements to secure the first Friday prayer of the holy month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque. These preparations come amidst a state of severe tension, as the occupation authorities seek to impose a new security reality that tightens the noose on the access of worshipers from West Bank governorates to occupied Jerusalem.

Media sources revealed that the occupation army has introduced a 'magnetic card' system that every Palestinian from the West Bank must obtain and pass through electronic checkpoints. This measure aims to accurately track the movement of worshipers from the moment they leave their residential areas until they reach the military checkpoints surrounding the holy city.

The new procedures include a strict monitoring mechanism, whereby the Israeli police will be provided with immediate digital data on every person who exceeds the permitted duration of stay inside Jerusalem. Reports confirmed that any worshiper who does not register their exit through the designated crossings will face immediate penalties, including permanent deprivation of permits and legal prosecution.

For its part, security sources indicated that the Central Command anticipates widespread friction at major crossings such as Qalandia and Rachel checkpoints, in addition to the Ibrahimi Mosque area in Hebron. These expectations come amidst a state of popular unrest resulting from the prohibitive restrictions that prevent thousands from performing their religious rituals.

In the context of field reinforcements, the occupation police intend to deploy more than 3,000 personnel in the alleys of the Old City and around Al-Aqsa Mosque to secure the first Friday prayer. All roads leading to the vicinity of Al-Haram Al-Sharif will also be closed to private vehicles, which exacerbates the suffering of worshipers who are forced to walk long distances.

The occupation authorities have set a ceiling for the number of worshipers allowed to enter from the West Bank at only 10,000 people per week, a very small number compared to the number of those wishing to pray. The Civil Administration of the occupation stipulated that each individual must obtain a special daily permit subject to prior and comprehensive security approval from intelligence agencies.

The restrictions were not limited to numbers but also included harsh age criteria, where only men over the age of 55 and women over the age of 50 are allowed to enter. As for children, only those under the age of 12 were allowed to pass, provided they were accompanied by a first-degree relative who met the permit conditions.

On the ground inside Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Islamic Endowments Department reported that the occupation authorities continue to obstruct the usual Ramadan preparations. Occupation forces prevented medical teams from setting up field clinics and also obstructed the installation of sunshade umbrellas in the mosque courtyards, in a move aimed at causing distress to worshipers.

Jerusalemite sources warned of threats from the occupation police to prevent the entry of Iftar and Suhoor meals designated for those observing I'tikaf inside Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month. These restrictions coincide with unjust decisions to ban a number of mosque imams and Sharia judges from Al-Haram Al-Sharif for varying periods to undermine the religious and national role of Jerusalemite authorities.

In contrast, sources in the occupation police confirmed that the security deployment will be intensive and around the clock throughout Ramadan, with a focus on monitoring the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque. The occupation authorities claim that these measures aim to maintain security, while Palestinians view them as an entrenchment of the policy of siege and temporal and spatial division of holy sites.

The Israeli police will be informed of the data of anyone who does not return from Jerusalem to the West Bank, and immediate penalties will be imposed on them.