Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque arrested for praising Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh

Jerusalem: Israel on Friday arrested Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, the 85-year-old imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque, for praising the late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during a sermon.

According to Arab media, Sheikh Sabri was detained by Israeli forces following his Friday sermon at Al-Aqsa Mosque, where he commended the resistance efforts of the Palestinian group Hamas and its leader Ismail Haniyeh who was recently killed.

Israeli National Security Minister and far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir announced Sheikh Sabri’s arrest on the social media platform X. He shared a blurred image of Sheikh Sabri with the Israeli flag in the background, stating that the imam was being interrogated under the same flag he “adores”.

In a sarcastic tone, Ben-Gvir wrote that his policy toward those inciting violence is one of zero tolerance. He expressed satisfaction with Sheikh Sabri's arrest and endorsed the action taken.

It may be mentioned here that Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas chief, was killed in an Israeli attack in Tehran on Wednesday. He was in Iran to attend the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.