WEST BANK: Israeli occupation forces arrested Sheikh Ekrema Sabri, the Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque and head of the Higher Islamic Council in Jerusalem, on Friday afternoon.
His arrest followed his Friday sermon at Al-Aqsa Mosque, where he delivered a eulogy for Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated by Israel in Tehran on Wednesday.
According to local media reports, Israeli police raided Sheikh Sabri’s home in the Al-Suwwana neighborhood, east of Jerusalem’s Old City, and took him to the Moscobiyeh detention center.
Sheikh Sabri denied accusations of incitement, asserting that his sermon was a religious eulogy, not a call to violence.
Lawyer Khaled Zabarqa, part of Sheikh Sabri’s defense team, stated that he did not detect any incitement in Sabri’s speech. He criticized extremist Jewish groups for targeting Sabri and using legal means against him.
Several Israeli officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, have called for Sheikh Sabri’s arrest and the revocation of his residency permit. Arbel has accused Sabri of security offenses and breach of trust, citing his eulogy for Haniyeh, whom he labeled a “terrorist leader.”
Arbel announced plans to revoke Sabri’s permanent residency, referencing Article 11(a) of the Entry into Israel Law, which allows for the revocation of residency for actions considered a breach of trust, such as terrorism or incitement, without a legal conviction.
