The Defense Ministry announces that some restrictions on Palestinian movement will be loosened for the Ramadan holy month, after a recent wave of terror attacks briefly raised the prospect the gesture could be canceled.
Under the newly issued Ramadan rules, Palestinian women from the West Bank will be allowed to enter Israel without a permit for Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa holy site, says the Defense Ministry’s liaison to the Palestinians, widely known by its acronym COGAT.
Palestinian men over 50 and under 12 will be allowed to enter freely for prayers as well, while those between the ages of 40 and 49 will be able to head to al-Aqsa if they already have a permit.
Around 5,000 Palestinians with first-degree relatives in Israel will also be given permits to visit them between Sunday and Thursday, according to COGAT.
The rules will apply for the next week, after which security officials will meet again to discuss potentially expanding the permit quotas, COGAT says.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz had previously said that the recent terror wave, which left 11 dead, placed the decision to ease restrictions at risk.
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