Israeli forces arrests Imam of Masjid-e-Aqsa

wilayattimes (Palestine)

Gaza:The Israeli forces 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 have stormed Sheikh Sabri’s house several times and removed him from Al-Aqsa under the pretext of inciting citizens to pray in the mosque.

Sheikh Sabri has rejected any Israeli measures to restrict prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque and called on: “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.