Israeli intelligence services threatened the Preacher of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, after raiding his house in occupied East Jerusalem.
The threat came after Sheikh Sabri said that he will reopen Al-Aqsa Mosque’s doors if occupation forces allowed Jewish settlers to storm the Muslim site.
“Israeli intelligence forces came to my house and threatened me saying that they will hold me responsible for any tension in Al-Aqsa Mosque, ” Sheikh Sabri told Anadolu Agency.
Israeli Police Threaten Palestinian Woman And Spit On Her Face
Israeli police issue a warning to Palestinian teacher Hanadi al-Halawani over social media posts calling people to visit #AlAqsa mosque. #Palestine #Palestinians #AlQuds #MasjidAlAqsa #Ramadan pic.twitter.com/CBY3nttCWB
— DOAM (@doamuslims) April 28, 2020
“I told them that suspending the reception of worshippers at Al-Aqsa Mosque does not mean in any way that it is permissible to the settlers to enter it,” he added.
“Israel should not be allowed to take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic and attempt to impose new restrictions on Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
In March, Israeli police summoned Sheikh Omar Kiswani, director of Al-Aqsa, for questioning at the Russian Compound interrogation center in West Jerusalem.
Al-Aqsa is empty of prayers this Ramadan pic.twitter.com/0kQV6Ciotj
— Muhammad Smiry 🇵🇸 (@MuhammadSmiry) April 26, 2020
Tensions at the Al-Aqsa compound have been rising for some time, as increasing settler raids have been reported. Last month, the Islamic Endowments Department announced that it had suspended the reception of worshippers to prayers as a preventive measure amid the coronavirus outbreak.
On Sunday, Jewish settlers called on Israeli authorities to let them storm Al-Aqsa Mosque unilaterally.
(Palestine Chronicle, MEMO, Social Media)
