Sawt Falasteen - Believers rejoice as Jerusalem's holy sites re-open

Jerusalem's Old City contains major holy sites for all three Abrahamic religions, which had been shuttered since the start of the war sparked by the US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28.

For the first time in 41 days, Muslim worshippers returned to Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jews to the Western Wall and Christians to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

At Al-Aqsa, Islam's third holiest site which was closed during most of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan this year, thousands of worshippers performed the ritual dawn prayer under a heavy police presence.

One man stood by the entrance of the Al-Qibli prayer hall, handing out paper tissues to worshippers overcome with emotion.

Suzan Allam, who came with her husband and daughter, told AFP the return to Al-Aqsa was like "a party".

Hamza al-Afghani, a young Palestinian, spoke of an "indescribable joy".

"Al-Aqsa mosque is Jerusalem's soul," another worshipper, who declined to share his name for security reasons, said.

Police began to disperse Muslim worshippers at 6:30 am in order to allow religious Jews to enter the compound, causing anger in the crowd.

Under long‑standing arrangements, Jews may visit the compound -- which they revere as the site of the first and second Jewish temples -- but they are not permitted to pray there.

Israel says it is committed to upholding this status quo, though Palestinians fear it is being eroded as some religious Jews increasingly break those rules to come and pray.

- 'A miracle' -

A stone's throw away from Al-Aqsa, the same religious fervour was present as Christians celebrated mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which encompasses the sites where Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified, entombed and later resurrected.

Tears streamed from the eyes of Uwde Sliman, a 40-year-old Ethiopian draped in a white shawl, as she came out of the church.

"I don't have any words", she said apologetically and with a smile.

"It's been one month, it's very, very, very hard, but thank God we have life... all Christians are happy today."

Imad Marcos was enthusiastic at the Church's opening, posing in front of the building first with sunglasses on and then off.

"I wasn't sure that it was going to be open. But when I came over, it was a miracle" said the US-Egyptian businessman, who makes a pilgrimage to Jerusalem from Miami every year.

"I might travel tomorrow, not today. Because I will have to enjoy here the whole day," he said.

Father Andrea, who officiated mass on Thursday, was not surprised by the few worshippers present "in these difficult times".

"Little by little, we hope they'll come back", he said.

- 'Like at home' -

At the Western Wall, dozens of Jewish worshippers prayed in the late morning.

"I'm so happy to be able to come back. Here I feel at home," Ayla, 19, said.

Yehuda Bandel, a 70-year-old retired teacher living in a suburb of the coastal city of Tel Aviv, felt the same joy.

Bandel came with his entire family to celebrate his grandson's upcoming bar mitzvah, the Jewish coming-of-age ritual.

"It's the first time that he is wearing tefillin", Bandel said enthusiastically, referring to the small black leather boxes containing Torah scrolls.

Beyond the reopening of the holy sites in Jerusalem, the Israeli authorities have lifted most of the restrictions linked to the state of emergency.

This excludes the country's northern border area near Lebanon, where the war against Iran-backed Hezbollah continues.

Z.AbuSaud--SF-PST