https://arab.news/bz78q
LONDON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Qatar’s foreign minister on Monday and discussed issues of concern including the challenges posed by Iran.
Blinken and Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani also discussed the importance of advancing towards a reality where Israelis and Palestinians alike can enjoy equal measures of security, freedom, and prosperity.
The importance of international support for Ukraine was also discussed, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said.
LONDON: Nearly 50,000 worshippers performed the Isha and Ramadan Taraweeh prayers on Sunday evening at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the walled city of occupied East Jerusalem.
Thousands of Palestinians gathered at Al-Aqsa despite facing Israeli military checkpoints and strict identity checks at the mosque’s gates, according to the Jerusalem Governorate.
Palestinians are observing the fasting month of Ramadan, which began last Wednesday, amid heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank, including attacks by settlers, and Israeli raids and arrests.
Over 300 Jerusalemites have recently received Israeli orders prohibiting their entry to Al-Aqsa during Ramadan, the Wafa news agency reported.
Israeli forces have increased their military presence in Jerusalem and restricted access to Al-Aqsa to children under 12, men over 55, and women over 50.
Since Wednesday, thousands of Palestinians have lined up to pass through military checkpoints, including Qalandiya and Bethlehem, in hopes of attending prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.
