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Palestinian worshipers waiting to cross the checkpoint near Bethlehem in order to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday. (AP)
Last update - 01:02 15/09/2007
IDF blocks West Bank Palestinians trying to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque
By The Associated Press
Tags: Jerusalem, W. Bank, barriers 

Hundreds of Palestinians thronged two major West Bank checkpoints, trying to reach Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, despite tight Israeli restrictions.

Israel Defense Forces troops turned back many of the West Bank faithful. Only men above the age of 45 and women above the age of 35, who had also obtained special permits, were allowed to enter Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque - the third holiest shrine of Islam - said police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby.

This year, the start of Ramadan, a month of fasting and religious observance, coincided with the Jewish New Year. As customary, Israel imposed a blanket closure on the West Bank during the Jewish holiday, barring virtually all Palestinians from entering Israel.
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Hundreds of Israeli police were deployed in streets and alleys in and around Jerusalem's walled Old City, where the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is located.

Troops also took up positions at two major West Bank checkpoints, one to the south of Jerusalem and one to the north. The checkpoints are built into Israel's West Bank separation fence, which rings most of Jerusalem to control Palestinian movement into Israel.

At the southern checkpoint, near Bethlehem, hundreds of Palestinians, many of them elderly, pushed up against police lines set up near the separation barrier. At one point, the crowd pushed through the police line. One woman crawled on her hands and knees, another fell to the ground as people behind her surged forward. IDF troops shouted at people to get back.

At the northern Qalandiyah crossing, near the city of Ramallah, hundreds of people waited to pass.

Hamdi Abu Fadi, 44, was turned back because he didn't meet the age requirement. Abu Fadi said he'd try to sneak into Jerusalem in another area, in hopes of reaching Al-Aqsa. Prayers performed at the shrine are considered more powerful than worship in another mosque.

Palestinians have long complained that Israel is violating their right to freedom of worship by restricting access to a major shrine. "It's a crime against us all year long, whether during Ramadan or any other month," said Abu Fadi.

Israel says it imposes the restrictions to prevent possible attacks by Palestinian militants.

Ramadan is a time of heightened religious fervor, which security officials fear could increase the motivation for carrying out attacks
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  1.   al-AqsaMosque, for those who are not aware of it, is located 15:06  |  Ben Aharon 14/09/07
  2.   Palestinians Denied Basic Human Rights, As Usual 16:22  |  Hani 14/09/07
  3.   No. 1 16:34  |  steve 14/09/07
  4.   Violating the right to freedom of worship 16:39  |  Chick 14/09/07
  5.   Israel imposes the restrictions to prevent attacks by Terrorists. 16:41  |  Vittorio 14/09/07
  6.   Sorta Like Germany 16:47  |  POP 14/09/07
  7.   Land theft is cool 16:59  |  POP 14/09/07
  8.   I`m sorry, but... 17:11  |  Giles Martin 14/09/07
  9.   soon will come a day of regret , & no wall to cry @ 18:30  |  sami son of yaffa 14/09/07
  10.   Muslims talking about freedom of worship 18:34  |  Enrique 14/09/07
  11.   Steve from minneapolis, MN, USA. Jerusalem is open to ALL witin 19:31  |  Ben Aharon 14/09/07
  12.   Forcifully Remove all Palestinians from Israel 19:44  |  The Maintenance Man 14/09/07
  13.   We have the high morale ground 19:48  |  Avi 14/09/07
  14.   #2 Hani 19:53  |  * BEN JABO 14/09/07
  15.   Steve - Minneapolis 19:55  |  * BEN JABO 14/09/07
  16.   #6 POP 19:58  |  * BEN JABO 14/09/07
  17.   Fascist Israelis Prove that Religious Freedom is not on Agenda 20:12  |  Voice of Reason 14/09/07
  18.   POP is an enemy of the Palestinians. 20:17  |  The Maintenance Man 14/09/07
  19.   4. Chick: Violating the right to freedom of murder 20:42  |  KUTW 14/09/07
  20.   #14 yes, if they behave and act in a civlized fashion 20:43  |  Hani 14/09/07
  21.   2. Hani: Pals Deny Jews Basic Human Right to live 20:51  |  KUTW 14/09/07
  22.   12. The Maintenance Man: Forcifully Remove all Pals from Israel 20:56  |  KUTW 14/09/07
  23.   7. POP: Land theft is cool 20:59  |  KUTW 14/09/07
  24.   No religious freedom in the racist-terror state of Israel 21:25  |  anti-racist 14/09/07
  25.   Hani # 2 21:26  |  ChanahS 14/09/07
  26.   steve # 3 21:29  |  ChanahS 14/09/07
  27.   Only in an occupation do you need checkpoints! 22:00  |  Tupac 14/09/07
  28.   Hani - I think you haven`t been there 22:12  |  * BEN JABO 14/09/07
  29.   24. racist. Is it racist to not let Pals kill you? 22:13  |  KUTW 14/09/07
  30.   Anti-recist 22:15  |  * BEN JABO 14/09/07
  31.   #17 voice of reason 23:12  |  * BEN JABO 14/09/07
  32.   To #3 STEVE 23:30  |  EGW 14/09/07
  33.   KUTW #12 23:44  |  The Maintenance Man 14/09/07
  34.   To Tupac # 27 Only when there are Terrorists 23:51  |  Dagma 14/09/07
  35.   33. The Maintenance Man 00:00  |  KUTW 15/09/07
  36.   Jews and Other Non-Muslims Must Have HUMAN RIGHTS 01:26  |  Linda Rivera 15/09/07
  37.   #24 free Canada for the French 01:33  |  Rab Burns 15/09/07
  38.   This police state,like a sick dying man is being propped up by 02:21  |  lakshmi 15/09/07
  39.   #27 Tupac 02:22  |  * BEN JABO 15/09/07
  40.   #27-2 Tupac 02:41  |  * BEN JABO 15/09/07
  41.   #38 lakshmi 04:16  |  * BEN JABO 15/09/07
  42.   no. 37 Rab Burns 04:41  |  steve 15/09/07
  43.   Muslims claim third holly site, prevent Jews from most holly site 05:49  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/09/07
  44.   A funny thing 06:09  |  Bretware 15/09/07
  45.   re: steve 06:51  |  Efox 15/09/07
  46.   re: Tupac 06:57  |  Efox 15/09/07
  47.   Ignorant Lakshmi 08:59  |  Hannah 15/09/07
  48.   Lakshmi -- can you count? 09:52  |  bbl 15/09/07
  49.   #47 FAKE HANNAH ALERT! 09:57  |  Hannah 15/09/07
  50.   #1, Ben Aharon... 10:04  |  Silvienne 15/09/07
  51.   #13, Avi, saying he has the moral high ground... 10:09  |  Silvienne 15/09/07
  52.   #12, The Maintenance Man... 10:11  |  Silvienne 15/09/07
  53.   bbl&Ben Jabo; bbl Jerusalem is an international trusteeship 11:30  |  lakshmi 15/09/07
  54.   Silvienne, let me say the following more clearly: 11:39  |  Ben Aharon 15/09/07
  55.   Silvienne, let me say the following more clearly: 11:39  |  Ben Aharon 15/09/07
  56.   Silvienne, let me say the following more clearly: 11:42  |  Ben Aharon 15/09/07
  57.   BAD PEOPLE, GOOD PEOPLE 11:50  |  indrajaya 15/09/07
  58.   #57 - Great imagination, Indrajaya 12:36  |  JES 15/09/07
  59.   #52, 50 - Silvienne 12:42  |  JES 15/09/07
  60.   Absolutely disgusting 13:09  |  Marlene N. 15/09/07
  61.   What you write is pure nonsense No. 48 13:20  |  Marlene N. 15/09/07
  62.   #67 lakshmi - let me understand 13:34  |  * BEN JABO 15/09/07
  63.   Indrajaya - what about the legs 13:38  |  * BEN JABO 15/09/07
  64.   Silvienne to Avi 13:47  |  * BEN JABO 15/09/07
  65.   Silvienne - Friday prayers 14:12  |  * BEN JABO 15/09/07
  66.   Eager to attend prayers, because they want 14:18  |  * BEN JABO 15/09/07
  67.   #60 Marlen N. you`re quite correct. 14:21  |  * BEN JABO 15/09/07
  68.   #61 Marlene N. 14:26  |  * BEN JABO 15/09/07
  69.   #67, Ben Jabo... 04:55  |  Silvienne 16/09/07
  70.   #57, Indrajaya, let me look at that photo again... 05:06  |  Silvienne 16/09/07
  71.   #58, JES... 05:08  |  Silvienne 16/09/07
  72.