In a provocative escalation just days before the holy month of Ramadan, Israeli occupation police have arrested the imam of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Mohammad al-Abbasi, from inside the mosque's courtyards in occupied Jerusalem. The detention, which occurred on Monday evening without any official reason provided by Israeli authorities, represents a direct assault on the religious leadership of Islam's third holiest site and has ignited widespread condemnation across the Palestinian territories and the wider Islamic world.
The Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing local sources, confirmed that Israeli forces apprehended Sheikh al-Abbasi within the Al-Aqsa compound amid what witnesses describe as a dramatic escalation of repressive measures. The arrest comes as Israeli authorities have intensified their campaign against religious figures, preachers, and worshippers at the site, while simultaneously imposing severe restrictions on Palestinian access and facilitating increasingly aggressive incursions by illegal settlers under heavy police protection. The timing is particularly significant, coming just as hundreds of thousands of faithful prepare to observe Ramadan prayers at the revered sanctuary.
The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, issued a powerful condemnation of the arrest, describing it as "blatant interference in the affairs of Al-Aqsa and an unacceptable assault on its imams". In a strongly worded statement, the movement characterized the escalating violations by what it termed the "fascist occupation government" as dangerous interventions designed to control and Judaize the mosque, restrict freedom of worship, and impose temporal and spatial division upon the holy site.
Hamas revealed that Sheikh al-Abbasi had been served with an order banning him from the mosque prior to his arrest, a cruel measure compounded by the fact that the imam had only recently resumed his duties after a year-long recovery from a severe car accident. The movement called upon the Palestinian people across Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the occupied territories to "remain stationed at Al-Aqsa, travel to it and maintain its presence, and stand as a bulwark against plans to tamper with its identity".
The arrest of Sheikh al-Abbasi forms part of a broader pattern of systematic oppression targeting Palestinian religious life. On Wednesday, Israeli authorities officially announced they would limit the number of Palestinian worshippers permitted to attend Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa during Ramadan to a mere 10,000 from the West Bank, each requiring a prior daily permit. Age restrictions further compound the humiliation, with only men aged 55 and older, women aged 50 and older, and children under 12 with a first-degree relative allowed entry.
Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, former grand mufti of Jerusalem and head of the Supreme Islamic Council, expressed profound regret over these measures, noting that they "contradict freedom of worship and disrupt Muslims' observance of the fasting month". Israeli authorities have simultaneously announced they will extend the duration of settler incursions into the mosque compound to five hours daily during Ramadan, effectively intensifying the provocative presence of illegal settlers at the holy site during Islam's most sacred month.
Hamas has urgently appealed to the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Arab and Islamic nations worldwide to take immediate action through all available channels to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque from what it describes as "the danger of Judaization". The movement demands practical steps to pressure the occupation and force it to halt its escalating violations against the sanctity of the mosque and the religious freedom of Palestinian worshippers.
The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf, meanwhile, continues its dedicated preparations to welcome worshippers during Ramadan, implementing an integrated plan encompassing religious, service, and health measures to ensure the comfort of those able to reach the mosque despite the oppressive restrictions. The ministry has intensified security, organized entry procedures, and prepared daily cleaning teams, demonstrating the Palestinian commitment to maintaining Al-Aqsa's spiritual significance in the face of occupation.
Tensions remain extraordinarily high throughout occupied East Jerusalem, particularly in the Old City and the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, as Israeli authorities continue their campaign of arrests and expulsion orders against religious figures and Palestinian activists. For millions of Muslims worldwide, the assault on Al-Aqsa's imam and the restrictions on worship represent an unacceptable attack on their faith and heritage, demanding urgent international response and solidarity.