As the Muslim holy month came to an end, Israel granted thousands of entry permits to West Bank Palestinians. Many took the opportunity to visit the beach and other places they are normally forbidden from reaching.

Photos by Oren Ziv, Yotam Ronen, Faiz Abu Rmeleh / Activestills.org

Thousands of Palestinian from the West Bank crossed the Green Line to celebrate the end of Ramadan on Israel’s beaches this past weekend. Israeli authorities issued thousands of entry permits, allowing Palestinians to visit Israel during the three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday. Many traveled as far as Tel Aviv-Jaffa and Acre in the north.

Palestinians in the West Bank are subject to a permit regime that not only severely restricts their ability to enter Israel, but also within the West Bank itself.

Throughout the month of Ramadan, Israeli authorities allowed Palestinian women as well as men over 40 to cross Qalandiya checkpoint in order to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Young men who weren’t allowed to cross often used ladders to climb over the separation barrier

Related:

PHOTOS: Palestinians cross into Jerusalem for Ramadan

Palestinians cease being ‘threats’ — for a month

Ramadan is over, the Muslims are coming