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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. Advertisement 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 Bookmark to del.icio.us   Officer convicted A military court convicts an IDF officer who led troops in a West Bank rampage. A different Anne Frank A Dutch Jewish condemns the distribution of a postcard of Anne Frank wearing kaffiyeh.   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.   #59, JES... 05:10  |  Silvienne 16/09/07   73.   #54,55,56 Ben Aharon... 05:15  |  Silvienne 16/09/07   74.   #64, Ben Jabo... 05:20  |  Silvienne 16/09/07   75.   Ben Jabo & prayers... 05:23  |  Silvienne 16/09/07   76.   Ben Jabo....about the eagerness to attend prayers 05:26  |  Silvienne 16/09/07   77.   #69 Silvienne - you`ve fallen for the oldest trick 16:55  |  * BEN JABO 16/09/07   78.   #70 Silvienne 16:59  |  * BEN JABO 16/09/07   79.   #74 Silvienne 17:05  |  * BEN JABO 16/09/07   80.   #79 Silvienne 17:10  |  * BEN JABO 16/09/07   81.   #76 Silvienne 17:13  |  * BEN JABO 16/09/07   82.   indrajaya - second request 18:45  |  * BEN JABO 16/09/07   83.   ben jabo 16 22:19  |  realism 16/09/07   84.   ben jabo 28 22:24  |  realism 16/09/07   85.   83 realism - Until you get up the courage 02:32  |  * BEN JABO 17/09/07   86.   realism 02:36  |  Ibn Musa 17/09/07   87.   #74 2nd TRY Silvienne 07:10  |  * BEN JABO 17/09/07   88.   ben jabo 85 18:55  |  realism 17/09/07   89.   #77, Ben Jabo... 23:40  |  Silvienne 17/09/07   90.   #78, Ben Jabo...actually, when you look at it... 23:42  |  Silvienne 17/09/07   91.   #88 realism - either put up or shut up 00:42  |  * BEN JABO 18/09/07   92.   #90 Silvienne 00:46  |  * BEN JABO 18/09/07   93.   #90 Silvienne 00:50  |  * BEN JABO 18/09/07   94.   #79, Ben Jabo... 04:48  |  Silvienne 18/09/07   95.   #88, realism... 04:55  |  Silvienne 18/09/07   96.   #93, Ben Jabo, the mystery deepens and thickens... 04:58  |  Silvienne 18/09/07   97.   #94 Silvienne 16:37  |  * BEN JABO 19/09/07   98.   #97, Ben Jabo... 18:59  |  Silvienne 19/09/07   99.   #96 Silvienne - shoes 21:27  |  * BEN JABO 19/09/07   100.   #98 Silvienne 21:29  |  * BEN JABO 19/09/07   101.   #100, Ben Jabo... 03:20  |  Silvienne 20/09/07   102.   #100 Silvienne 22:21  |  * BEN JABO 20/09/07   103.   #102, Ben Jabo...Arabs don`t despise Jesus... 06:31  |  Silvienne 21/09/07   104.   Silvienne - Hope this is the last in this thread 21:00  |  *BEN JABO 21/09/07   105.   Ben Jabo, of course, the last... 03:14  |  Silvienne 22/09/07   106.   WHO WROTE THE ROLES POP 05:14  |  TOBIA 28/01/08

Today Online PM promises Abbas not to disrupt flow of aid to Gaza Responses: 189 Anti-Semitic incidents rise in Germany, Australia, U.S. in 2007 Responses: 136 Editorial: Gaza border crisis endangers peace with Egypt Responses: 126 Gideon Levy: IDF troops fell because of Israel's war of folly Responses: 88 Dutch Jewish group slams image of Anne Frank wearing kaffiyeh Responses: 80 Rosner's Domain Two days before the Florida primary, Rudy seeks solace in football The best Jewish date (What To Read) McCain using support for Israel to court Jews - and Christians Poll: How important is Israel in the 2008 election? More Headlines 06:27 Source: J'lem will be last topic on peace agenda 04:20 Officials: Israel won't let Gaza border breach threaten security 02:21 Iran offers to help Egypt deal with chaos at Gaza Strip border 23:48 Report: Barak met secretly with Pakistan's Musharraf last week 01:13 Lodz Ghetto document reveals 'Israel's 1st declaration of independence' 23:51 IAF wounds four Hamas militants in strike on armored car in Gaza 05:40 Egypt shuts stores, cooperates with Hamas to urge Gazans to return home 04:37 AG: Policemen will not be indicted for deaths of 13 in October riots 05:06 EU foreign ministers to meet Monday to revamp Palestinian aid plan 00:38 Arab FMs nix Syrian bid to strengthen Hezbollah as 8 killed in Lebanon 04:12 Panel recommends expansion of Wisconsin welfare-to-work plan 05:54 Court sends employer to jail for underpaying employees in unprecedented ruling 04:54 Fun Munich carnival held on Holocaust remembrance day angers Jews Previous Editions Select Day 27 jan 25 jan 24 jan 23 jan 22 jan 21 jan 20 jan 18 jan 17 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan

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