From the Liveblog of
Monday, March 23, 2020
Photos from Temple Mount show site (almost) completely empty
Photos tweeted by a reporter for the Kan public broadcaster showing Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, the country’s main holy site, empty except for a handful of Islamic Waqf staff.
It comes after Israel and Jordanian authorities made the decision yesterday to close the site to all visitors, whether Muslim or not, to stem the spread of the coronavirus.
The site, normally heaving with activity, is the holiest spot in Judaism and the third holiest for Muslims, who refer to it as the Al-Aqsa Mosque or the Noble Sanctuary. It is a major flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
תמונות בלעדיות מהר הבית, הבוקר. מתפללים מוסלמים ומבקרים יהודים לא הורשו להיכנס – רק מספר מצומצם של עובדי הוואקף @kann_news pic.twitter.com/fZNquYutdT
— Suleiman Maswadeh סולימאן מסוודה (@SuleimanMas1) March 23, 2020
