Tens of thousands of Palestinian worshipers crowded the sprawling courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City last week for the second Friday of Ramadan, the holy Muslim fasting month.
A day later, Israel abruptly announced it was temporarily closing the sacred site, leaving its esplanade desolate. The police said the closure was intended to ensure the safety of civilians while Israel was coming under Iranian missile attacks.
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