Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound Slated to Reopen Sunday

Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City is slated to reopen on Sunday following a two-month closure due to coronavirus-related restrictions. The Islamic place of worship is located on the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site, which is known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary, Haram al-Sharif. Details of the reopening have not yet been finalized, including whether the public will be permitted to enter into mosques or merely be permitted to pray in the expansive courtyard. The compound has in the past been a flashpoint for violence and small clashes reportedly broke out between Israeli forces and individuals attempting to pass through barriers at the site during this week’s Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan. According to Islamic scripture, the compound, which is the third holiest site in Islam, is where the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven.