From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Video shows officers turning away Turkish citizen from Al Aqsa prayers; police say they are investigating
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
A Turkish Muslim worshiper was barred by Israeli police from reaching the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, with multiple officers telling him he could not pass once they learned he was Turkish.
“Turkish, it’s closed, okay?” says an officer in a video shared by the Turkish TRT World outlet.
The man — who resides in Germany — is directed to another gate, but the police there shake their heads when he says he is Turkish, and tell him to come back for the next prayer.
There is no policy banning Turkish citizens from praying on the Temple Mount, Israel Police tells The Times of Israel, and the incident is being looked into.
‘Turks are not allowed to enter’
Israeli occupation police prevented a Turkish citizen from entering the courtyards of Al Aqsa Mosque in Occupied East Jerusalem pic.twitter.com/ZB9qMCP9nz
— TRT World (@trtworld) July 31, 2026
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