Jerusalem: Al-Aqsa Mosque reopens to worshippers after lockdown

Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem has been reopened after more than two months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While disclosing this on Sunday May 31, 2020, the Jordan-run Islamic Waqf Department stated that the holy site was open to worshippers.

Worshippers were shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest) to express their excitement as they were granted access into the mosque for the dawn prayers.

Al-Aqsa Mosque, the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims, was locked in March, following the novel coronavirus outbreak in Palestinian territories.

Jews call the area the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.

Palestinian authorities have recorded more than 600 virus cases, including five deaths.