![Palestinians gather to protest Israel's destruction in Silwan neighborhood after a Friday prayer as Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque Ikrimah Sabri delivers the Friday Sermon (Khutbah) in East Jerusalem on August 28, 2020 [Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/20200828_2_44097330_57738520.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Sheikh Ekrema Sabri, Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque and head of High Islamic Commission in Jerusalem, yesterday called for defending the holy site against increasing Israeli raids, Quds Press reported.
In a statement, Sheikh Sabri said: “The Israeli occupation has turned the city of Jerusalem into a military base since Sunday and has escalated its provocative measures against worshippers.”
“The Israeli occupation police tightened its restrictions on the Palestinians, while it opened the door wide for the Jewish settlers to desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
Sheikh Sabri pointed out that the increasing Israeli raids “prove that the occupation is planning to dominate the holy site and impose its sovereignty over it.”
Scores of Israeli Jewish settlers raided Al-Aqsa Mosque in response to calls made by the extremist Rabbi Moshe Feiglin and the settlers of ‘Temple Mount’ groups.