Ekrema Sabri: ‘Sheikh Jarrah must be protected by all Muslims’

Tens of Palestinians performed Friday prayers in Sheikh Jarrah in solidarity with its residents facing the threat of forced expulsion, The Palestine Information Centre reported.

During the Friday khutbah, Sheikh Sabri spoke about oppression, noting that stealing land and homes of residents and forcibly evicting them “is one of the worst forms of oppression.”

He also urged: “Sheikh Jarrah is a historic neighbourhood and a holy place, and it is the duty of every Muslim to protect it.”

Sheikh Sabri hailed the resilience and steadfastness of Sheikh Jarrah residents against the Israeli occupation, stressing: “They are part of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem is part of them.”

This came following days of tension in the neighbourhood caused by the resumption of the Israeli demolition policy, threatening many Palestinian homes in the area.

It also came two days after extremist Israeli MK Itamar Ben-Gvir raided the occupied Palestinian area and, according to Israeli police who attempted to violently expel him from the area, incited violence.