Temple Mount worshippers permitted to bring Jewish prayer books

Jewish worshippers were permitted to bring full prayer books, known as siddurim, onto the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on Sunday. This development marks a departure from long-standing restrictions enforced by the Muslim Waqf, which administers the site.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has been linked to the change in enforcement. While Israel Police have not announced an official blanket policy change, they stated they operate according to the directives of the political echelon and security assessments. This follows a previous change in January that allowed visitors to carry single-page prayer sheets.

Observers noted that the presence of towels on the ground indicated that worshippers were performing prostration. The easing of restrictions on religious materials at the site, which includes the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, is viewed as a significant shift in the management of the holy site.