Jerusalem Awaits First Friday at Al-Aqsa After Reopening Under Tight Security
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Jerusalem is bracing for a highly watched Friday, April 10, 2026, as thousands of Palestinians prepare to attend the first Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque since it reopened on Thursday after roughly 40 days of closure. Israeli authorities reopened Al-Aqsa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on April 9 after wartime gathering restrictions linked to the conflict with Iran were eased.
Worshippers returned to the compound at dawn on Thursday, while Israeli police said restrictions at Jerusalem’s holy sites were being lifted and that hundreds of officers and volunteers would be deployed across the city, including the Old City and access roads. The coming Friday prayer carries added weight because the closure had disrupted worship during much of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr period.
The reopening follows weeks of criticism over access limits at key holy sites in Jerusalem. For many Palestinians, Friday will be more than a return to congregational prayer; it will also test whether the reopening marks a genuine easing of restrictions or a tightly controlled reopening shaped by heavy security on the ground.
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Tahani Elghazaly5351 Posts
