Palestinians barred from Eid prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque for first time since 1967

Israeli police seal Al-Aqsa mosque’s entrances by placing barriers and restricting access, preventing large numbers of Palestinians from entering compound

JERUSALEM: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-March 20^th, 2026) MIsraeli forces barred Palestinian worshippers from offering Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, marking the first such closure at the end of Ramadan since 1967, media reports said.

The Israeli police sealed the mosque’s entrances by placing barriers and restricting access, preventing large numbers of Palestinians from entering the compound.

As a result, hundreds of worshippers were forced to offer Eid prayers outside Jerusalem’s Old City.

Eid-ul-Fitr is being observed on Friday in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

Israeli authorities said the restrictions were imposed due to heightened security concerns amid ongoing regional tensions involving Iran. However, Palestinians expressed concern over the move, warning that it could set a dangerous precedent and lead to similar restrictions in the future.