Israel blocks Gaza’s Palestinians from praying at Al-Aqsa Mosque

MEMO manages to speak to a Palestinian protestor [or known as a defender of Al-Aqsa] who explains why he resorts to such hardcore resistance. MEMO also speaks to a worshipper who tells us about passive forms of resistance.

The Israeli occupation authorities have blocked Palestinians in Gaza from travelling to Jerusalem in order to spend one of the highlights of the month of Ramadan, the 27th night, in Al-Aqsa Mosque, Anadolu reported on Friday.

According to the Palestinian Authority’s Information Ministry, officials made a great deal of effort to get Israeli permission for people from Gaza to travel. The Israelis, said Media Director Mohamed Maqadmeh, simply refused to let it happen, although they did allow 300 elderly Palestinians to leave the beleaguered Gaza Strip to perform the Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque on condition that they were back in the territory before dark.

Muslims spend the odd-numbered nights within the last 10 days of Ramadan praying and supplicating to God in the hope of reaping the spiritual benefits of Lailatul Qadr, one of the most special nights of the whole Islamic calendar.

Despite the restrictions placed on Palestinians travelling to and visiting the Noble Sanctuary of Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, agencies have reported that more than 400,000 worshippers from other parts of Palestine were able overcome the difficulties in order to perform their prayers in the mosque on Friday night.