The Documentary Podcast Prayers through the checkpoints
Dec 19, 2025
This episode features an Anonymous Palestinian worshipper from Hebron, who shares poignant insights on the daily struggles to access the Ibrahimi Mosque amid stringent checkpoints. Also featured is Mustafa Abishway from the Islamic Waqf Council, who discusses recent changes at Al-Aqsa and their implications for worshippers. They delve into the spiritual impact of restricted access, family separations, and the emotional toll of emptier prayer spaces, shedding light on the evolving dynamics in these contested religious sites.
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Family Visits Blocked By Internal Gates
- The Hebron resident says internal gates now segregate streets so he cannot visit his brother 50 metres away.
- He claims not one relative could visit him in two years, even with a security permit.
H2: A Zone Of Tight Control
- The worshipper lives in H2, under direct Israeli military control, where closures can happen without notice and block families from homes.
- Around 33,000 Palestinians live in H2 alongside settlers, intensifying tensions over access to holy sites.
Praying Once A Day Is An Achievement
- The worshipper says his bedroom window faces the mosque but reaching it is 'almost impossible' and praying once a day has become a historic achievement.
- He counts 17 military checkpoints around his home and worries he might not be able to return after reaching the mosque.