Jerusalem: Israeli authorities will put the preacher of East Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, on trial on Tuesday on charges of 'incitement.' The Magistrate's Court in Jerusalem will review the indictment file submitted by the Israeli Public Prosecution against Sheikh Ekrima, who has been facing incitement charges since July 2024, as stated by his defense office.
According to Anadolu Agency, the defense team reported that the 86-year-old preacher faces charges of incitement to terrorism. These charges stem from his condolences offered over the assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in an Israeli airstrike in Iran in 2024 and the death of Palestinians by Israeli gunfire in the occupied West Bank in 2022. In response to his statements, the Israeli police banned Sheikh Ekrima from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque for six months starting from August 2024.
The defense team has labeled the trial as part of a broader series of what they describe as arbitrary measures and political, religious, and ideological persecution against Sheikh Ekrima in recent years. These measures include banning him from Al-Aqsa Mosque, imposing a travel ban, and issuing an order to demolish his home. They further claim that the trial is a consequence of an extensive incitement campaign waged against the preacher by far-right parties and organizations.
Israeli authorities have consistently taken actions against Sheikh Ekrima due to his sermons in support of Gaza. These actions have been accompanied by continued incitement against him by officials in Tel Aviv, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel.
Al-Aqsa Mosque holds significant religious importance as the third-holiest site for Muslims. The area is also known as Temple Mount to Jews, who believe it was the site of two ancient Jewish temples. The geopolitical context adds to the tensions, as Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and later annexed the entire city in 1980, a move that has never been recognized by the international community.