Israel’s cabinet has discussed restricting access for some Muslims to the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem during Ramadan, in a move that further inflames tensions during its war with Hamas, especially with the Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Various restrictions were floated at a Sunday evening cabinet meeting held at the behest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners. This included only permitting older Palestinian men and banning others deemed a security risk. Access for women would not change.
While no final decision has been made, the politically charged talks sparked anger on the centre and left of Israeli politics and among leaders of the Palestinian minority within Israel.