According to Anadolu Agency on Friday, March 27, 2026, Israeli authorities have continued to block Muslim worshippers from attending Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque for the fourth consecutive week, keeping the holy site closed under emergency measures amid ongoing tensions with Iran.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third-holiest site, has been inaccessible since late February. Israeli police have maintained a heavy presence around the compound, sealing its gates and deploying security personnel throughout Jerusalem’s Old City to limit access and prevent large gatherings.
Officials said the closure was ordered by Israel’s Home Front Command, citing security concerns linked to the regional conflict and restrictions on public gatherings. Since the measures were implemented, only a small number of guards and Islamic Waqf officials—responsible for managing the mosque—have been allowed inside.
In addition to Al-Aqsa, authorities also closed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a major Christian religious site, as part of wider precautionary steps.
Eyewitnesses reported that police also stopped Palestinians from gathering for prayers in areas around the Old City, including Salah al-Din Street. Many worshippers had hoped to pray nearby due to the mosque’s closure, but security forces dispersed these assemblies, leading people to attend prayers at smaller neighborhood mosques instead.
The restrictions coincide with a sensitive period, as large congregational prayers were also banned at Al-Aqsa during the recent Eid al-Fitr celebrations—an unprecedented move since Israel’s control of East Jerusalem in 1967.
Earlier this week, the Israeli government extended its state of emergency until mid-April, though it remains unclear if the mosque will remain closed for the same period. Authorities have yet to provide a specific timeline for reopening Al-Aqsa to the public.
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