Eid Prayer as Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa closure forces worshippers outside the Old City walls

eid prayer in Jerusalem took place under extraordinary restrictions as Israeli authorities kept the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound closed at the end of Ramadan, pushing worshippers to pray as close as possible to the sealed site and, in some cases, outside the Old City walls.

What Happens When Eid Prayer Is Pushed Outside the Old City?

On Friday morning, hundreds of worshippers prayed outside the Old City after Israeli police barricaded entrances to the compound. The closure left many Palestinians gathering near the gates rather than inside the mosque precinct, reshaping what is typically one of the most significant moments of the religious calendar in Jerusalem.

Palestinians described the atmosphere in the Old City as markedly different from the norm. Streets that are usually crowded in the days leading up to Eid were described as unusually quiet. Shopkeepers faced restrictions as well: most businesses were barred from opening, with only pharmacies and essential food shops allowed to operate. Traders said these measures had driven them into acute economic hardship.

What If the Closure Sets a Precedent?

The closure was described as the first time since 1967 that al-Aqsa mosque would be closed at the end of Ramadan on Friday. One Jerusalem resident, Hazen Bulbul, a 48-year-old who said he has marked the end of Ramadan at al-Aqsa since childhood, warned that the moment could establish a precedent. He said he feared it “may be the first time, but probably not the last, ” and described escalating interference in the holy city since 7 October 2023.

Israeli authorities framed the restrictions as a security measure tied to rising regional tensions, citing security concerns related to the US-Israeli war on Iran. The context described the compound as having been effectively sealed off to most Muslim worshippers during Ramadan starting on 28 February, leaving thousands to gather and pray outside the gates of the Old City instead.

Palestinians, however, argued that the move fits a wider strategy: leveraging security tensions to tighten restrictions and entrench control over the al-Aqsa mosque complex, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif. The area also includes the Dome of the Rock Islamic shrine.

What If Tensions Escalate in the Alleys Around the Gates?

Security concerns were accompanied by a heavy presence in the Old City’s narrow alleys, alongside searches and confrontations with residents. In recent months, the context described a sharp increase in arrests of Palestinian worshippers and religious staff in the Old City, as well as repeated incursions into the complex by Israeli settlers. Police were described as detaining individuals inside the mosque precinct, including during prayer times, and restricting access for many Palestinians seeking to enter.

Against this backdrop, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the preacher of al-Aqsa and former grand mufti of Jerusalem, issued a religious ruling urging Muslims to perform Eid prayers at the closest possible point to the mosque. The warning embedded in that guidance was not only spiritual but practical: many feared that tensions surrounding the closure on the final day of Ramadan could escalate into clashes with police.

The closure also drew condemnation from international and regional organizations. The Arab League described it as a “blatant violation of international law” and warned it risked undermining freedom of worship and inflaming tensions across the region. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the League of Arab States, and the African Union Commission expressed strong condemnation of the closure of al-Aqsa mosque to Muslim worshippers, “especially during the blessed month of Ramadan, ” calling it a grave violation of the existing historical and legal status quo.

For worshippers attempting to maintain tradition under constraint, Eid Prayer became an act defined by distance: performing the ritual near barricades and sealed gates rather than within the precinct itself.