DaysofPAL — Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, preacher of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, has strongly condemned recent Israeli measures targeting the holy site ahead of Ramadan, describing them as aggressive, illegal, and in violation of international law and freedom of worship.
Sheikh Sabri said that the Israeli occupation has issued expulsion orders barring dozens of young Jerusalemites from entering the mosque.
“These measures confirm the occupation’s ambitions over Al-Aqsa and show that the authorities do not want Muslims to fast and pray freely but aim to disrupt their religious observance through arbitrary actions,” he said.
He also highlighted that residents of the West Bank face severe restrictions on entering Jerusalem during the holy month, preventing thousands of Muslims from reaching Al-Aqsa and heightening tensions in the city.
According to Sheikh Sabri, Israeli occupation forces have intensified expulsion orders affecting Jerusalemites, released prisoners, Islamic Waqf staff, and mosque guards.
Since the start of 2026, over 250 orders have been issued, while authorities blocked logistical preparations for accommodating worshippers during Ramadan.
The preacher stressed that these actions constitute direct interference in the management of Al-Aqsa, aiming to assert “sovereignty” over the site and undermine the authority of the Islamic Waqf, which traditionally administers it.
“After failing to assert full control in previous years, the occupation is now attempting to circumvent established rules to intervene in its affairs,” he said.
Sheikh Sabri also warned of extremist “Temple Groups” seeking to expand control over the mosque.
These groups have called for extended morning incursions during Ramadan and the banning of i‘tikaf, the spiritual practice of secluding oneself for worship inside the mosque, a tradition of devotion and Quranic study.
“The i‘tikaf poses no threat; it is purely for worship, not disturbance or illegal acts,” Sheikh Sabri said, noting that extremists aim to exploit the current conditions to tighten their grip on Al-Aqsa and diminish the Waqf’s authority.
Israeli police plan to extend morning incursions during Ramadan by one hour, from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., while extremist groups have demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu guarantee settler access during the last ten nights of Ramadan and in the afternoons, block nightly i‘tikaf for Palestinian worshippers, and allow settlers to perform full Talmudic rituals with items such as the tallit and tefillin.
Sheikh Sabri warned that these measures represent a dangerous escalation and an effort to accelerate settler control over the holy site before future restrictions are imposed.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=72302
