OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Israeli authorities have issued exclusion orders against Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Islamic Movement in the 1948-occupied territories, and Sheikh Kamal Khatib, head of the Freedoms Committee.
The orders bar both men from entering Aqsa Mosque for a full week, with strong indications that the ban could be extended for up to six months.
Sources said the summons began with a phone call from Israeli police. Sheikh Kamal Khatib was directly threatened with arrest when he asked about the caller’s identity. As a result, legal teams coordinated for both men to report to the Nazareth police station instead of traveling to Occupied Jerusalem to receive the orders.
Sheikh Kamal Khatib described the measures as a reflection of the “arrogance of the Israeli establishment,” accusing it of distorting facts and manipulating reality. He noted that authorities claim the presence of national leaders poses a threat to the public, while at the same time providing full protection to settlers who regularly enter the courtyards of Aqsa under heavy guard.
Non-negotiable principles
In a firm response, Sheikh Raed Salah stressed three fundamental principles following the issuance of the ban. First, he said that Aqsa Mosque is an exclusively Islamic right that cannot be divided. He also emphasized that the Islamic Waqf Council is the sole authority with sovereignty and decision-making power within the Aqsa compound, dismissing Israeli security justifications as baseless.
From a legal standpoint, the attorney accompanying the two leaders condemned the move, describing the Israeli police’s justifications as “absurd” and evidence that the security apparatus has become a political tool driven by discriminatory motives. He stressed that the default principle should be freedom of access for Muslims to their holy sites, while bans and exclusions represent an imposed and abnormal reality enforced by force.
The legal team also revealed an escalation in such measures, noting that around 1,000 exclusion orders from Aqsa have been issued since the beginning of Ramadan. Lawyers said some of these orders were based on weak justifications, such as expressing opinions or sharing images on social media, reflecting a broader policy of silencing Palestinians.
Legal sources further criticized a stark contradiction in Israeli policy, which allows Jewish extremists to violate the historical and legal status quo at Aqsa. These groups, they said, perform public Talmudic rituals that provoke Muslims worldwide, under official protection that disregards international agreements and Jordan’s custodianship.
Sheikh Kamal Khatib concluded by reaffirming that Aqsa Mosque, in its entirety, belongs solely to Muslims and that exclusion orders will not alter this historical reality. He expressed optimism that this difficult phase will pass, calling on Palestinians to remain steadfast and hopeful despite ongoing restrictions and attempts to push them away from their holy sites.
