The Israeli authorities arrested Sheikh Ekrema Sabri last Friday afternoon after he praised Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was martyred by Israeli forces.
Local News outlets have confirmed the news of Israeli law enforcement agencies raided Sheikh Sabri’s home, in Al-Suwwana neighborhood, which is at the east of Jerusalem’s Old City and took him to Moscobiyeh detention center.
Before his arrest, Sheikh Sabri told local press that the accusations of incitement against him, led by extremist Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, were baseless. “What I said in my Friday sermon was a religious eulogy and a condolence, not incitement,” Sabri said. “Where is the freedom of speech that they brag about when they hear something they don’t agree with?”
Lawyer Khaled Zabarqa, a member of Sheikh Sabri’s legal defense team, attended Friday prayers and heard the sermon. He said: “I did not find any incitement in Sheikh Sabri’s statements. The real incitement comes from extremist Jewish groups who are targeting him and using legal means against him.”
Several Israeli ministers and Knesset members called for the arrest of Sheikh Sabri and the withdrawal of his identity papers.
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