Jerusalem24 – Israeli Daily, Ha’aretz revealed today that the Israeli police forced Palestinian worshippers who wanted to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque to submit their ID cards illegally before entering.
According to the paper, the Israeli police prohibited anyone who didn’t submit their ID from entering the Al-Aqsa, this decision targeted people from 17 to 45.
The Israeli Association for Civil Rights said that this decision is a violation of the worshippers’ rights, a violation of the right to movement and freedom of worship.
Palestinians in Jerusalem say that the Israeli police have been doing this since 2015, especially during Easter/Pessah, each person who submits their ID receives a stamped receipt with a number to take it back, as it is moved from one gate to another.
According to the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Israeli police officers are allowed to examine the ID card only. Adalah had filed complaints to the leadership of the police as what is being done at the Al-Aqsa gates is illegal, especially when some worshippers are asked to go to the police station to retrieve their ID where they are interrogated without any legal framework.
