Hamas condemns Israel’s ban imposed on Al-Aqsa Mosque sheikh 

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement condemned on Wednesday the Israeli occupation authority’s decision to ban Sheikh Najeh Bkeerat from Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

“Bkeerat is the director of the Religious Endowment Department in Al Aqsa Mosque,” explained Hamas spokesman for Jerusalem Mohammad Hamada. “He has spent his life defending Al-Aqsa Mosque against Israeli violations.”

The movement expressed its anger at the occupation state’s policy of targeting important Palestinian and national individuals. “This policy will provoke a backlash sooner or later,” it warned.

This is the 30th time since 2003 that Israel has banned Sheikh Bkeerat from Al-Aqsa Mosque. In total, this has meant that he has spent seven and a half years unable to enter the mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.

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