Temple Mount remains open despite nationwide coronavirus lockdown

The Waqf stressed that if Israel does not ban Jewish worshipers from ascending to the Temple Mount, they will allow Muslim worshipers to arrive at any time.

By CODY LEVINE
A girl poses for a photo during celebrations for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Jerusalem, July 31, 2020 (photo credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD)
A girl poses for a photo during celebrations for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Jerusalem, July 31, 2020
(photo credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD)
Officials from the Islamic Waqf, who are the custodians of the Aqsa Mosque located on the Temple Mount, expressed their displeasure on Friday with the coronavirus lockdown taking place throughout the country, as well as the government directives on social distancing, refusing to halt religious services due to the continued allowance of Jews to pray on the importance religious site, according to a Israel Hayom report.
The alleged refusal to close the site to all worshipers came following an apparent confirmation from Waqf officials that they would in fact close the area for three weeks in coordination with the Health Ministry’s lockdown directive.
According to the report, Sheikh Najah Bakirat, the Waqf’s deputy director, indicated to Palestinian media that the site should remain open to worshipers to “prevent attempts by ‘the occupation’ [a commonly used reference to Israel] to change the reality of the mosque.”
The sheikh added in a statement to Palestinian media that Israel is attempting to slowly change the religious status quo on the important holy site until “the settlers” achieve their goal of building the [Third] Temple in the area.
The Waqf Council also noted that the decision to keep the gates open to worshipers was done as a reaction to Israeli policy allowing Jews to enter the site amid the nationwide lockdown, saying in a statement that the decision was made after it became known “the intention of the ‘occupation’ authorities to open the gate during the closure, to ‘settlers who will invade the mosque, we decided to leave the doors of al-Aqsa open to those who can reach the area in accordance with the health and legal conditions.”
The statement further added that  “the mosque will never be closed and prayers will be held in it.”
The Waqf stressed that if Israel does not ban Jewish worshipers from ascending to the Temple Mount, they will allow Muslim worshipers to arrive at any time.