Israel says to restrict movement during looming Muslim holy month

Israel is to impose restrictions on movement during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when hundreds of thousands normally visit Jerusalem to pray, government spokesman David Mencer said on Thursday.

"The usual restrictions for public safety will be in place as they have been every year," Mencer told a press briefing.

The restrictions will target "people seeking to foment violence and attacks" but "all peaceful visitors" will be allowed access to religious sites, he said.

Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Islam's third-holiest site and a symbol of Palestinian national identity, where clashes often erupt between worshippers and Israeli security forces.

By longstanding convention, Jews are allowed to visit but not pray in the compound, which they revere as the site of their second temple, destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

In recent years, growing numbers of Jewish ultranationalists have defied the rules, including far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, who publicly prayed there while serving as national security minister in 2023 and 2024.

The Israeli government has said repeatedly that it intends to uphold the status quo at the compound but Palestinian fears about its future have made it a flashpoint for violence.

Last year, Israel allowed Muslims to worship at Al-Aqsa in the same numbers as in previous years despite the war raging in Gaza, but imposed restrictions on Palestinians from the occupied West Bank.

It also deployed thousands of police across Jerusalem to avert any clashes.