Israeli forces arrest Al-Aqsa mosque Imam
The Israeli forces have arrested Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, President of the Supreme Islamic Council and cleric of Al-Aqsa Mosque, after storming his house in occupied Jerusalem.
According to the Palestinian Information Centre, the occupation forces stormed Sheikh Sabri’s house several times and removed him from Al-Aqsa, alleging that he was inciting citizens to pray in the mosque.
Sheikh Sabri who fights against Israeli measures to restrict prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque said, “Our fellow Palestinians to prepare themselves to defend Al-Aqsa from any threats in the coming days.”
Sheikh Sabri is 79 years old and was born in Qalqilya. He is the cleric of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the former grand mufti of Jerusalem and co-founder and president of the Supreme Islamic Council.
On Friday morning, the occupation forces prevented Palestinian citizens from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque and arrested Jerusalemite Hanadi Al-Halawani, a teacher at Al-Aqsa Mosque schools, while she was at the Bab Al-Asbat area. Al-Halawani is one of a group of Palestinians who voluntarily remains at Al-Aqsa Mosque to supervise, in an endeavour to stop Israel’s effort to Judaise the site.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is facing Judaisation plans, as the temple organisations called to storm and occupy the holy site, and divide prayer time and space between Muslims and Jews.