Palestinian Authority condemns Israeli blocking of worshippers from Al-Aqsa Mosque

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned "in the strongest terms" the move by Israeli forces to prevent thousands of worshippers from the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first Friday of the month of Ramadan.

The ministry accused Israel of militarising Jerusalem after "hundreds" of iron barriers were set up in the city and thousands of Israeli officers were deployed.