Israel relaxed security restrictions to allow thousands of Palestinians to observe the first Friday services of the holy month of Ramadan in Jerusalem, Al Jazeera reported Friday.

Police said at least 80,000 people from East Jerusalem, Israel and the West Bank had gone to Islam’s third-holiest site, for Friday prayers, the first since this week’s start of Ramadan.

There were also 500 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip who were allowed rare permission to pray at the site, an Israeli official said.

Women of all ages and men aged 40 and over from the Israeli-occupied West Bank were allowed into Jerusalem without permits, normally required to cross checkpoints and exit the territory.

The Jerusalem Post reported:

“The Israeli Police have completed final security measures that will be implemented in and around the Old City throughout the day. We’re expecting thousands of Muslims to come in from different areas such as Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron. This has been done in full coordination, and extra police units will be in and around different areas to make sure that everyone comes in the Old City without any problems. But, at the same time we will respond if necessary to any security-related issues,” [Israeli police spokesman Micky] Rosenfeld said.

A resident of Kafr al-Deek village in the West Bank, who came to pray in al-Aksa Mosque, Sha’lan al-Deek said that they entered the city without any problems.

“Because this is the first Friday in the holy month of Ramadan, we wanted to see the atmosphere of Ramadan in Jerusalem, and how the situation looks like. Thanks god, we entered, with full respect,” al-Deek said.

[Photo: Zahi Shaked. Israeli tour guide צחי שקד. מורה דרך / YouTube ]