Wakf ‘alarmed’ by spike in COVID-19 cases, urges to abide by regulations
The appeal came as tens of thousands of worshipers continued to converge on Temple Mount in recent weeks, especially for Friday prayers.
By KHALED ABU TOAMEHUpdated: DECEMBER 16, 2020 21:17MUSLIMS PRAY as they mark the holiday of Eid al-Adha in the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount, in July. (photo credit: AMMAR AWAD/REUTERS)
The Jordanian-controlled Wakf Islamic religious trust in east Jerusalem on Wednesday again appealed to Muslim worshipers who come to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque compound (Temple Mount) in Jerusalem to abide by COVID-19 measures intended to prevent the spread of the disease.The appeal came as tens of thousands of worshipers have continued to converge on the site in recent weeks, especially for Friday prayers, ignoring health regulations designed to stem the spread of the virus.Israeli authorities have refrained from imposing restrictions on the Muslim worshipers as part of an effort to ease tensions at the Temple Mount. The Jerusalem Police is in contact with Wakf officials about the measures that need to be taken inside the compound, a source in the Wakf Department said.Last March, the Wakf closed the site for two months as a precautionary measure to curb the spread of the disease.A senior Wakf official said that he did not rule out the possibility that the site may be closed to the public again due to the large number of worshipers who do not abide by the health regulations.Wednesday’s appeal is mainly directed to east Jerusalem residents and Arab Israelis who have been flocking in large numbers to al-Aqsa Mosque compound in recent weeks. The appeal came amid a sharp increase in infection cases in east Jerusalem and among Arab Israelis.In the past few weeks, several senior Islamic religious clerics urged Muslims to converge on the site to “confront” Jews who tour the Temple Mount.The Islamic Movement in Israel has been organizing visits of thousands of Arab Israelis to the compound, particularly on Fridays.The Wakf, in an “appeal to the worshipers coming to the al-Aqsa Mosque/al-Haram al-Sharif,” said that figures it received from the authorities about the spread of the disease “indicate a remarkable increase in the number of infected people from our community.”The Wakf said that the spike in COVID-19 cases requires everyone to take more precautionary measures and prevent the situation from deteriorating into a very dangerous health condition.
“Despite all the previous measures, which we stress periodically and repeatedly, our religious duty and responsibility make it imperative for us in these difficult times to sound the alarm bell and to make more efforts with regards to the worshipers’ awareness of the importance of these measures and the need to adhere to them, especially during mass prayers,” the Wakf said. “Hence, we call upon the brothers and worshipers to abide by these procedures and adhere to them before matters get out of control.”The measures announced by the Wakf include a call on each worshiper to bring his or her own carpet for prayer and to wear face masks during their presence at the site.In addition, the measures include an appeal to those who are unable to reach al-Aqsa Mosque compound to pray at home. “The elderly, sick, and children who live in places far from al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City should not arrive at the mosque during this critical period in order to preserve their health,” the Wakf added. “Those who arrive at al-Aqsa Mosque must commit to praying in the mosque’s squares, with the obligation to maintain the necessary distance of no less than 2 m. from each other.”The Muslim worshipers are also required to fully comply with the instructions issued by the Wakf guards and employees and avoid using public facilities at the site as much as possible.
