Worshippers are able to pray again at Jerusalem’s holy sites after Israel lifted restrictions it imposed throughout the war with Iran nearly six weeks ago. Jerusalem’s police said Wednesday that it would lift restrictions on all holy sites and would deploy hundreds of officers and volunteers in the city.
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Here's how to cope with in-flight anxietyAt Middle Creek, timing and distance shape a photo of migrating geese'I'm going there.' Oil drilling fuels a migrant surge in isolated city in Brazil's AmazonYou aren't the only one who just sits in the car before or after a long dayAfter menopause, resistance training is essential. How to get keep bones and muscles strongStates are struggling to meet their clean energy goals. Data centers are to blameIf you're struggling to lose weight, could chilling your carbs help?'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' cast aren't the only influencers sowing curiosity about the churchCasa Blanca matiza declaración sobre ataque a Cuba. Díaz-Canel dice que nada justifica una agresión Here's how to cope with in-flight anxietyAt Middle Creek, timing and distance shape a photo of migrating geese'I'm going there.' Oil drilling fuels a migrant surge in isolated city in Brazil's AmazonYou aren't the only one who just sits in the car before or after a long dayAfter menopause, resistance training is essential. How to get keep bones and muscles strongStates are struggling to meet their clean energy goals. Data centers are to blameIf you're struggling to lose weight, could chilling your carbs help?'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' cast aren't the only influencers sowing curiosity about the churchCasa Blanca matiza declaración sobre ataque a Cuba. Díaz-Canel dice que nada justifica una agresiónPatriarch Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, center left, performs the Washing of the Feet ceremony, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. Ethiopian Orthodox Christian worshippers pray at Deir Al-Sultan monastery on top of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 9, 2026. A Muslim women take a selfie next to the Dome of Rock shrine at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States. in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. A Muslim man prays in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States. in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. A man displays his goods for sale in front of his shop at a market, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 9, 2026. An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man prays at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 9, 2026. Patriarch Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, center left, performs the Washing of the Feet ceremony, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. Patriarch Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, center left, performs the Washing of the Feet ceremony, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. Ethiopian Orthodox Christian worshippers pray at Deir Al-Sultan monastery on top of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. Ethiopian Orthodox Christian worshippers pray at Deir Al-Sultan monastery on top of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 9, 2026. Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 9, 2026. A Muslim women take a selfie next to the Dome of Rock shrine at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States. in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. A Muslim women take a selfie next to the Dome of Rock shrine at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States. in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. A Muslim man prays in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States. in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. A Muslim man prays in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States. in Jerusalem’s Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. A man displays his goods for sale in front of his shop at a market, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 9, 2026. A man displays his goods for sale in front of his shop at a market, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 9, 2026. An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man prays at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 9, 2026. An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man prays at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, after restrictions were lifted following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Thursday, April 9, 2026. TEL AVIV, Israel — Worshippers were able to pray again at Jerusalem’s holy sites Thursday after Israel lifted restrictions it imposed on large public gatherings throughout the war with Iran nearly six weeks ago.Access had been prohibited altogether, or restricted to a few dozen faithful at a time, at Christian, Jewish and Muslim sites during the now-paused conflict, when missile attacks from Iran often sent Jerusalem residents into shelters.The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound , closed for much of the holy month of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday, reopened with dawn prayer Thursday, according to Jerusalem’s Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian religious authority that administers the compound. At the adjacent Western Wall in the Old City — the holiest site in the world where Jews can pray — dozens of men and women were seen bowing their heads in prayer. The lifting of the restrictions comes just in time for Orthodox Christians, who celebrate Easter on Sunday, a week after Catholic and Protestant observances and before the centuries-old ceremony known as the Holy Fire that is associated with it.On Saturday, thousands of Christians will gather in the cavernous Church of the Holy Sepulchre holding unlit candles as they pack into thebuilt on the site where, according to tradition, Jesus was crucified and buried. The Greek patriarch will light candles and then the flame is passed from one candle to the next.The restrictions sparked backlash last month when Israeli police prevented Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate a private Mass on the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday for the first time in centuries. That set off a wave of criticism from the United States and others.On Thursday, worshippers reveled as they entered Al-Aqsa for the first time in weeks. “It is as if human beings are reborn,” said Mohammed Al-Qassas. Being unable to pray during this period is like “feeling hungry all the time,” he said. “It’s impossible to describe this feeling ... It was one of the most happiest moments in my life,” said Biljana Vaslic, a tourist from Serbia who, until now, hadn’t been able to enter the church. Still, others accused Israel of using the war as an excuse to restrict access. “This is a grace from God after 40 days of using the war as a pretext, but God has granted steadfastness in this mosque,” said Omar al-Kiswani, director of the mosque. Even before the war, there were already heightened restrictions on people being able to access Al-Aqsa. During Ramadan prayers on Friday in early February, Israel restricted the number of Palestinians allowed to enter from the West Bank to 10,000, and only allowed men over 55 and women over 50 as well as children up to 12. It has imposed similar restrictions in the past, citing security concerns.SAM MEDNICK Mednick is an AP correspondent for Israel and the Palestinian Territories. She focuses on conflict, humanitarian crises and human rights abuses. Mednick formerly covered West & Central Africa and South Sudan.
Iran War Israel 2024-2025 Mideast Wars Christianity Judaism Islam General News Religion 2024-2026 Mideast Wars World News Benjamin Netanyahu Mohammed Al-Qassas Iran Omar Al-Kiswani World News
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