Palestinian religious figures and community groups have intensified calls for worshippers to travel to Al-Aqsa Mosque for Friday prayers and maintain a constant presence inside its courtyards, amid mounting concerns over Israeli policies targeting the site’s historic and religious status.

The appeals come as tensions continue to rise in occupied Jerusalem, with repeated settler incursions into the mosque compound and growing fears over attempts to impose new restrictions and alter the long-standing status quo governing the holy site. Campaigners stressed that maintaining a continuous Palestinian presence at Al-Aqsa remains essential to protecting its Islamic identity and resisting efforts aimed at expanding Israeli control over the compound.

Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, head of the Higher Islamic Council and preacher at Al-Aqsa Mosque, said the most effective way to safeguard the site was through the permanent presence of worshippers, students and those participating in religious gatherings. He encouraged Palestinians to continue visiting the mosque throughout the week, particularly with the beginning of the new Islamic year 1448 AH.

Sabri also urged worshippers not to be discouraged by checkpoints and movement restrictions imposed by Israeli forces around Jerusalem, saying persistence in attempting to reach the mosque carried both spiritual and symbolic significance. Palestinian religious leaders described the continued presence of worshippers inside Al-Aqsa as a central means of confronting efforts to reshape the character of the site during the ongoing genocidal war.