Palestinian Woman From Hebron, 100, Prays at Al-Aqsa for Ramadan

A 100-year-old Palestinian woman from Hebron in the West Bank, who is wheelchair-bound, made it to Al-Aqsa Mosque for the first Friday Ramadan prayers. Hajjah Halimah left early on Friday morning and, according to The New Arab news website, navigated Israeli roadblocks and limited access to the Old City of Jerusalem in order to make it to Al-Aqsa in time for the prayers at noon. According to the report, she made her way to the mosque surrounded by well-wishers. Some 80,000 Muslim worshippers prayed at the Al-Aqsa mosque this past Friday, though the Friday Ramadan prayers can draw crowds of up to 200,000, according to the report, which said that Israel “routinely tries to restrict worshippers’ access to the site.” Some Palestinians whose entry to Jerusalem was blocked by Israeli forces prayed at West Bank checkpoints, according to the report. Israel’s Defense Ministry last week announced that Palestinian women from the West Bank are allowed to enter Israel without a permit for Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa and that Palestinian men over 50 and boys under 12 are allowed to enter Israel for the prayers without a permit. In addition, Palestinian men between the ages of 40 and 49 are able to visit Al-Aqsa with a permit. Men under age 40 are only allowed to visit Al-Aqsa with a permit that allows them to enter Israel on Fridays.