Israel to ease Palestinians’ entry to Jerusalem ahead of Ramadan

The military’s liaison to the Palestinians announces an easing of entry restrictions for West Bank and Gazan Palestinians to Jerusalem ahead of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

In a statement, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) says women of all ages, children up to the age of 12, and men above the age of 55 from the West Bank will be allowed to enter Israel to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on Fridays without an existing entry permit.

For Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, an unspecified quota of Palestinians will be allowed to visit Jerusalem between Sundays and Thursdays during Ramadan. COGAT says such permits will be given to women above the age of 50 and men above the age of 55.

Additionally, COGAT says visits by West Bank Palestinians to family members in Israel are also to be approved, as well as visits by foreigners to Palestinians in the West Bank, all of which are subject to “security approval.”

The easing of restrictions is subject to further security assessments and may change depending on developments, COGAT says.