Netanyahu, Ministers and Thousands of Israelis Enter Western Wall Plaza, Palestinian Governorate Says
JERUSALEM: The Palestinian governorate of Jerusalem said early Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, several ministers and thousands of Israelis entered the Western Wall plaza in occupied East Jerusalem under heavy security. The governorate said the group reached the plaza after passing through the Old City’s Wadi Street.According to the statement, the entry came…
JERUSALEM: The Palestinian governorate of Jerusalem said early Sunday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, several ministers and thousands of Israelis entered the Western Wall plaza in occupied East Jerusalem under heavy security. The governorate said the group reached the plaza after passing through the Old City’s Wadi Street.
According to the statement, the entry came after the call to prayer at Bab al-Rahma, one of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque. It said large numbers of Palestinians were in the area to pray and shop. The governorate urged Palestinians to come to Al-Aqsa and “thwart the occupation’s plans” as Yom Kippur, a major Jewish religious observance, approaches.
Israel controls the Western Wall and regards it as a Jewish holy site, while the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf and the governorate say the wall is part of Islamic holy sites. The plaza, which Israeli authorities keep open around the clock, hosts religious ceremonies, Jewish worship and official events. Security checks and searches are carried out at entry points.
Israeli groups had called on supporters to gather outside Bab al-Rahma before Yom Kippur for “Selichot” prayers, which begin on September 21. The Jewish holiday season began with the new year on September 12-13. It continues with Yom Kippur on September 21, Sukkot from September 26 to October 2, and Simchat Torah on October 3. The governorate said Israeli police have unilaterally allowed Israelis into the Al-Aqsa compound since 2003.
