By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency / Jewish News Agency
Jerusalem, Israel — April 1, 2023 … Thousands of people have been crossing through the Qalandia and Rachel security checkpoint crossings in Israel in a peaceful and secure manner, to pray and celebrate with their families.
The Israel Defense Forces Central Command troops are working hard to maintain freedom of worship.
Over 52,000 Palestinians crossed into Israel from the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) for the second Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month. Over 100,000 people took part in the prayers on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Israel Defense Force soldiers enable and ensure the safe passage of Muslims for Friday prayers in the month of Ramadan, in Jerusalem, the eternal city of hope.
Israeli Police vowed to maintain freedom of worship and tackle “any attempt to use the month of Ramadan or the holy places to disrupt order, incite or support terrorism.”
For Palestinian Muslims, worship at the mosque – the third-holiest site in Islam – is a central part of the festival.
Jews revere the same area as the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism as the location of the ancient Temples.