Eid al-Fitr: Palestinians Stage Mass Prayer Protests Showing Hope and Resilience amid Unprecedented Challenges

“Our resolve is stronger than theirs,” says Amir, 19, a Palestinian resident of Jerusalem’s Old City.1

Amir was explaining the determination of Jerusalem’s youth to hold the ‘isha and tarawih prayers on the last days of Ramadan near the walls of the Old City. Israel has closed al-Aqsa Mosque for most of Ramadan under the pretext of security and safety amid its ongoing war with Iran. In response, Palestinians have been gathering for prayer along the Old City walls, especially near Bab al-Sahira (Herod’s Gate), as a form of silent protest (see As Ramadan Ends, al-Aqsa Mosque Remains Empty and Palestinians Take to the Streets in Silent Protest).

Amir, who asked that his family name not be mentioned for fear of being harassed by Israeli forces, added: “We feel that al-Aqsa Mosque is facing a real danger, and that the continued closure only serves the interests of Israel, which has forgotten that al-Aqsa is everything to us, especially for us residents of the Old City, who wake up to the sound of the call to prayer from al-Aqsa and go to sleep with the image of the Dome of the Rock.”

Like other young Palestinian Jerusalemites, Amir feels deeply connected to the city despite Israeli efforts to erase its Palestinian identity. He asserts that the future belongs to him and the Palestinians, and that Israel will be surprised by their resilience. He concludes that they will resort to peaceful means of protest, as this disturbs the Israelis.

Another 19-year-old Jerusalemite, Muhammad, who was sitting with Amir near the Damascus Gate, chimed in: “It’s enough that we’re here, staying, living in Jerusalem. That’s enough of an honor for us, and that’s true steadfastness.”2 He added: “Where are the Arabs?! We don’t want them. We know how to deal with the Israelis,” pointing to the soldiers who had attacked the worshippers while they were praying, beating them and preventing them from praying. But this didn’t deter Amir and Muhammad from staying put.

Even along Salah al-Din street, Amir, Muhammad, and throngs of Palestinians—young and old—gathered to perform Eid al-Fitr prayers on the asphalt amid a massive police presence. The silent prayer protest “affirmed that al-Aqsa Mosque is not alone, that all of Jerusalem is al-Aqsa,” Muhammad said.

Moments later, Israeli forces rained down sound bombs and stun grenades on the crowd, dispersing the peaceful worshippers who were asserting their right to freedom of worship and freedom of access to their holy site, al-Aqsa Mosque. At that point, Amir and Muhammad scattered, and we could not see them again through the thick smoke.

Nafiz Asila, a youth social activist from the Old City, told Jerusalem Story:

Nafiz spoke about different institutions that work to instill hope in Jerusalem youth, including the Burj al-Luqluq Social Center Society, which was closed by Israel at the beginning of Ramadan for six months (see The First Days of Ramadan in Jerusalem Bring Sadness and Joy for Palestinians Near and Far). Montaser Idkedek, executive director of Burj al-Luqluq, told Jerusalem Story that “Bur al-Luqluq is a space of hope for Jerusalem’s youth through the various events, activities, and training it provides them.”4

“Over the past 10 years,” he went on, “this center has organized dozens of large events in which Jerusalemite youth presented their ideas and hopes to prove their presence and identity.” In 2016, for example, Burj al-Luqluq hosted the first youth forum of its kind in Jerusalem, producing a critical report of Jerusalem youth opinion on a range of social, economic, and political realities.5 The center also organized “the recent Jerusalem Electronic Forum, in addition to hundreds of initiatives inspired by the youth themselves.” (See Burj al-Luqluq’s Facebook page for more.)

Montaser concluded: “In Burj al-Luqluq, hope continues, and Jerusalem’s spirit continues in its youth. We are a social, cultural, intellectual, sports, and training incubator for youth, and we will remain so with God’s help.”

Malak Zabalah, a Jerusalemite writer and social activist who has published numerous studies on Jerusalem, told Jerusalem Story that “hope represents a fundamental social resource, no less important than the material resources a society needs to maintain its cohesion and continuity, especially during prolonged periods of pressure.”6

“Cities,” Malak explained, “particularly Jerusalem, are tested not only in their physical survival but also in their ability to protect their symbolic meaning and preserve their internal moral fabric. In Jerusalem, hope manifests as a conscious, daily social practice, translated into the behavior of Jerusalem’s youth at the gates of the Old City, in their participation in prayer, and in their attachment to the place.”

Malak elaborated on the deeper significance of youth prayers around the Old City:

But the current realities facing Jerusalemites are unprecedented. “Despite the hope that still ignites the hearts and minds of adults and children alike, the challenges facing the holy city are much greater than the current capabilities of the Jerusalemite community,” said an elderly Jerusalemite who has spent his entire life in the city.7 “Though the community proves time and again that it is steadfast and capable of confronting challenges, it will not last long without significant moral and material support from abroad,” he explained.

“We must not forget that more than 400,000 Jerusalemites face unimaginable daily difficulties,” he told Jerusalem Story. “They face a state that has allocated billions of dollars to Judaize their city and change its diverse character to become a purely Jewish city where Muslims and Christians exist only in museums and history books.”