Following statements made by the former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Ekrima Sa'id Sabri, regarding Hamas's former political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh during the noon prayer on the Temple Mount on Friday, Israel Police arrested him for incitement, according to a police statement.
השייח עכרמה צברי הסית הבוקר בהר הבית והספיד את רב המרצחים איסמעיל הנייה ימ"ש, שעות ספורות אח"כ הוא נלקח מביתו לחקירה על ידי משטרת ישראל, וכעת הוא נחקר מתחת הדגל שהוא כ"כ "אוהב". המדיניות שלי כלפי מסיתים ברורה - אפס סובלנות! ואני שמח ומברך על יישומה. pic.twitter.com/XEScLP10WG
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) August 2, 2024
Jerusalem police opened an investigation into suspected incitement and support for terrorism following the eulogy.
Sabri is accused of eulogizing the "martyr" Ismail Haniyeh and asking for "mercy and heaven" for him during his sermon at al-Aqsa Mosque.
Haniyeh was killed in an assassination in Tehran last week.
The Jerusalem district police arrived at the home of the Sabri in east Jerusalem before he was subsequently transferred to the Jerusalem District Police for questioning.
A regular at the station
This is not the first time that Sabri has been questioned by the police on suspicion of incitement.
Recently, the state attorney's office filed an indictment against Sabri after he incited terrorism and praised terrorists.
On the same day, Jerusalem and Border Police arrested another suspect for incitement to terrorism during Friday's prayer on the Temple Mount. The suspect, an Old City resident in his 20s, was transferred to the Old City police for questioning.
Since October 7, 140 indictments have been filed against those accused of inciting and supporting terrorism in the Jerusalem area.
Among them are also a number of preachers in mosques who were investigated and accused after using their sermons to voice incitement and support for terrorism and terrorists.
"We take seriously any exploitation of prayer and religious institutions to incite and support terrorism and terrorists. The Israel Police will continue to act with determination and zero tolerance against instigators and supporters of terrorism, whoever they are and wherever they are," the Jerusalem Police said after the arrest.