Israel turned back thousands of Palestinians from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque for the first Friday prayers of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. Israeli authorities in the occupied territory claimed the worshippers did not “have the required permits” to pray at the Jerusalem holy site amid continued restrictions on Muslim worship there amid pressure from the Israeli far-right. Approximately 3,000 officers and border police soldiers were deployed on Friday, according to Israeli media. Israel has illegally occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, and the West Bank since 1967. Israeli author…