Israel bans two Palestinian preachers from Al-Aqsa for one week

Israeli authorities on Monday issued a one-week ban against two prominent Palestinian Islamic preachers, Sheikh Raed Salah and Sheikh Kamal al-Khatib, preventing them from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem. In separate statements, both men said they were summoned for questioning and then handed the ban order. “We received an order preventing us from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Salah told reporters. “When asked about our response, we said that Al-Aqsa is a purely Islamic right and we have the right to be there.” He denounced the ban as “invalid,” “unjust,” and “an assault on our religion” and “religious persecution,” stressing that the Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem holds sole authority over the holy site.

Expected extension

Sheikh al-Khatib said the one-week ban is likely to be extended. “It is clear that next Sunday there will be a decision to extend the ban to six months by the Jerusalem District Police commander,” he warned. “Al-Aqsa Mosque belongs to Muslims, and no one else has the right to even a grain of its soil.” Al-Aqsa is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two ancient Jewish temples. Israeli authorities have issued hundreds of similar orders this year against clerics and worshippers, typically starting with a one-week ban that can be extended up to six months.

Background

Salah previously headed the Islamic Movement in Israel, while al-Khatib served as its deputy leader until Israel banned the group in November 2015, alleging incitement. Israeli authorities had earlier imposed a 15-year ban on Salah from entering Al-Aqsa, which ended in 2022.