Taghribnews (TNA) - Palestinians pray in Bab al-Rahmeh secion of al-Aqsa after 16 years

Palestinian worshippers have entered Bab al-Rahmen section of al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City which was closed by Israeli forces back in 2003.

Thousands of worshippers, who gained access to the area on Friday, were responding to calls by Palestinian clerics — including al-Aqsa Mosque’s Mufti Ekrima Sa’id Sabri — to gather in the Bab al-Rahma sector for Friday prayers, according to the Palestinian Information Center.

Bab al-Rahma, with a gate of the same name, consists of a large building and a courtyard that lie east of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

The building was sealed by Israeli authorities in 2003 after they claimed it was being used by Palestinians for political activities.

Israeli authorities renewed the restriction order annually until an Israeli court ordered the building closed until further notice in 2017.

Israeli forces responded to the planned assembly on Friday by setting up numerous roadblocks and checkpoints and arresting up to 60 Palestinians, according to various local Palestinian sources.

The Israeli measures, however, failed to stop the crowd from opening the gate and entering the area for prayers.

Following the development, the Palestinian resistance movement of Hamas issued a statement describing the event as “a new peaceful victory against the Israeli occupation.”

Tensions continue in the occupied Palestinian territories in the aftermath of a move by the United States to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s “capital” and relocate its embassy to the occupied city.

The al-Aqsa Mosque compound is a flashpoint, highly respected by Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike. The mosque is Islam’s third holiest site after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina.

KD