Palestinian Arab sources reported that close to 25,000 Muslims prayed on Friday in the plaza of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Photos from the prayer service showed thousands of people standing in rows side by side as they prayed. According to reports, the Muslim worshipers came from eastern Jerusalem and other cities throughout Israel.
Cleric Muhammad Salim said in his sermon on Friday that Muslims need a straight Muslim ruler and not to weep over the condition of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, implying that action must be taken to “free” the mosque.
Salim further said that Muslims today live in a time of weakness, but eventually they will achieve their goal with the help of Allah. He called on the Muslim public to adhere to the Qur'an and the way of the Prophet Muhammad, emphasizing that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a major issue for Muslims.
The Islamic Movement has called on worshipers to come to mosques that are "threatened with Judaization" in order to show their presence on the site and thwart Israel's plans. As part of the campaign, called "The Great Dawn", thousands of Muslim worshipers come to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and to the Cave of the Patriarchs, which is considered a mosque in Islam, every Friday morning.