Prayers through the Checkpoints

Available for over a year

Imagine being able to see your place of worship, but not be able to reach it. For many Palestinian Muslims in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, stricter Israeli security measures, rising tensions with settlers, and movement restrictions introduced after the October 7th attacks have made access to mosques increasingly challenging. The Israeli military says these measures are essential to protect civilians after increased violence in the region. Many Palestinians argue the restrictions amount to collective punishment and fear there may be changes to long-standing arrangements at some of the area’s holiest sites, sacred to both Muslims and Jews. Reporting from Hebron and East Jerusalem, Emily Wither explores how these pressures are reshaping the spiritual lives of worshippers living at the heart of one of the world’s most contested religious landscapes. Producer/presenter: Emily Wither Executive producer: Rajeev Gupta Editor: Chloe Walker Production co-ordinator: Mica Nepomuceno (Photo: Palestinians in Hebron perform Friday prayer in the streets surrounding Ibrahimi Mosque. Credit: Anadolu)