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Source: http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=770732
Israel Cancels Weekly Visit from Gaza to Pray at Al-Aqsa after Palestinians Fail to Return Home
(Ma'an News-PA) Israeli authorities on Wednesday cancelled a weekly visit allowing Palestinians from Gaza to travel to east Jerusalem for Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque. The agreement allowed 200 Gazans above the age of 60 to worship at the holy site. Sources said Israel canceled the agreement because Palestinians traveling for worship were not returning to Gaza. A spokesperson for Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said: "Any claims regarding the freezing of permits for prayers in the Temple Mount [Al-Aqsa] should be directed to those who choose to illegally exploit the permits at the expense of the rest of the public." The spokesperson added that over 1,000 Palestinians in Gaza are permitted to cross into Israel each day for business affairs or medical treatment.