The Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem will reopen Sunday after a two-month closure due to the CoVID-19 coronavirus, a senior official said Wednesday, as cited by the AFP.
"All the doors of the Al-Aqsa mosque will be opened at dawn on Sunday," Sheikh Omar al-Kiswani, the mosque's director, told the agency.
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The details are yet to be hammered out, including whether the mosque and the Dome of the Rock shrine will be opened, or if the public will only be allowed into the courtyard, where the faithful also pray.
Some Palestinian activists are reportedly calling for the compound to be opened earlier, in time for Friday's prayers.
The compound, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, saw the first restrictions imposed on March 15, when the Islamic religious authority (Waqf) moved to shutter the buildings it is comprised of, only allowing prayers in open spaces. A week later, it was shut off completely.
Religious sites in Jerusalem began to reopen in recent days as the reported number of new cases declined, but the Al-Aqsa mosque compound remained shut during the Eid al-Fitr festival that began on March 24 for most Muslims and marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
In addition, Israeli outlet Arutz 7 reported that Jews - although not permitted to pray on the Temple Mount - will once again be granted access to the site, possibly as early as Sunday.
Scuffles broke out between Israeli police and Palestinians on the first day of Eid as worshipers tried to break through barriers to enter the compound.
This article was originally published by i24NEWS
