Jerusalem: Israeli authorities have issued a six-month ban on Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories, prohibiting him from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Jerusalem Governorate, citing lawyer Khaldoun Najm, confirmed that the ban will extend following the expiration of his prior eight-day ban.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, this decision was made after Sheikh Hussein delivered a Friday sermon condemning the occupation's policy impacting the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The initial ban was enacted after Israeli forces summoned Sheikh Hussein on July 27, issuing an eight-day expulsion order from the mosque, which has now been extended.
The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs has condemned the decision, describing it as an attempt by the occupation to remove religious authorities from Al-Aqsa. The Ministry's statement on Wednesday highlighted that this move seeks to undermine those who oppose the occupation's actions in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with a particular focus on Al-Aqsa Mosque.