Israeli Police have arrested Sheikh Ikrama Sabri, the imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque and head of the Higher Islamic Council, following his tribute to the deceased Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Reports from Arab media indicate that Sheikh Sabri honored Haniyeh during his Friday sermon, which resulted in his arrest at his home.
After his arrest, Sabri was taken to the Masqubia detention center. Prior to his detention, he addressed the Arab media, claiming that the accusations of incitement from Israeli Interior Minister Itmar Ben Gweir and National Security Minister Moshe Arbel were unjust.
Read more: NYT Reports Ismail Haniyeh Was Killed By an Explosive Device In Tehran Guesthouse
Sabri defended his tribute as a religious expression, questioning how it could be seen as incitement, and expressed concern over being accused of provocation in a context that allegedly supports free speech.
The arrest followed demands from several Israeli ministers for action against Sabri for his praise of Haniyeh.
An Israeli Police spokesperson confirmed that an investigation is ongoing to assess whether Sabri’s remarks were indeed provocative, with further actions to be determined based on the investigation’s outcomes.
