Israeli police arrest Al-Aqsa Mosque imam inside compound

Israeli police arrested Sheikh Muhammad Ali Al-Abbasi, imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque, on Monday evening inside the mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, according to local sources.

Witnesses said that officers detained Sheikh Al-Abbasi within the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, without immediately clarifying the reasons for the arrest or the legal measures being taken against him.

The incident comes amid what Palestinian officials describe as escalating Israeli measures at Al-Aqsa Mosque, including increased restrictions on imams and preachers, tighter controls on worshippers’ access, and a rise in visits by settlers under heavy police protection.

Tensions have also intensified in Jerusalem’s Old City and around the Al-Aqsa compound, with reports of arrests and deportation orders targeting religious figures and local activists.

Israeli authorities have not issued an immediate statement regarding the circumstances of Sheikh Al-Abbasi’s detention.

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