Jerusalem, Damascus Gate, Ramadan Prayers

This was how the situation looked for those who were successfully reaching El-Aksa : 

Perhaps thanks to the warm weather the plaza outside the gate was much brighter than last week – some people wore lighter-coloured (though not festive) clothing and, more noticeably, there were many stalls with toys, dry household goods, and fruit (like green almonds, etc.).  The sellers were waiting for after the prayers, but some  people were 'just checking' before going inside.

There seemed more worshippers than last week, but few children (mostly boys). Also more sightseers, some of whom even were buying a thing or two.

 A few Jews entered looking confident – first a smartly- hatted Hassid(?), later a few kippa-wearing young men.

When I left, there were still worshippers streaming in, some from packed trains coming from east Jerusalem. And when I got on the train to come home it looked as if the first coach was packed with Muslim worshippers, while the second seemed to be full of Jews!  A case of self-selection?

The many soldiers or border police were gathered in small groups at a distance, but overlooking the place was an observation post.