‘Grave Matter’: Senior Imam Says Israel Barred Him From Entering Al-Aqsa Mosque Ahead Of Ramadan

Last Updated:February 17, 2026, 22:36 IST

Sheikh Muhammad al-Abbasi told the media that he had been banned from the mosque for one week, with the order subject to renewal.

A senior cleric at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday said that Israeli authorities had barred him from entering the mosque compound, just days before the start of Ramadan.

Sheikh Muhammad al-Abbasi told news agency AFP that he had been banned from the mosque for one week, with the order subject to renewal. He said he was not given any reason for the decision, which came into effect on Monday.

“I have been barred from the mosque for a week, and the order can be renewed," he said. “This ban is a grave matter for us, as our soul is tied to Al‑Aqsa. Al‑Aqsa is our life."

Abbasi added that he had only returned to the mosque a month ago after spending a year in hospital following a serious car accident.

ALSO READ: Israel To Deploy Thousands Of Police At Al-Aqsa Mosque For Ramadan As Palestinians Allege Curbs

Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, is expected to begin this week. During the holy month, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians usually gather for prayers at Al-Aqsa, Islam’s third-holiest site.

The compound is located in east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed.

On Monday, Israeli police said they had recommended issuing 10,000 permits for Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to enter Jerusalem for prayers. However, they did not clarify whether age restrictions would apply.

Palestinian officials said permits may again be limited to men over 55 and women over 50.

The Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian-run body that administers the site, said Israeli authorities had blocked routine Ramadan preparations. A Waqf source said 33 of its employees were barred from entering the compound in the week leading up to Ramadan.

Meanwhile, Turkish broadcaster TRT reported that Israeli forces later detained Sheikh al-Abbasi inside the mosque’s courtyards, citing the Palestinian news agency WAFA. The report said he was arrested without explanation.

“The comes amid escalating Israeli measures against the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, including restrictions on imams, preachers and worshippers stationed there, limitations on the entry of worshippers, and intensifying incursions carried out by settlers under heavy protection from Israeli police," the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

News world ‘Grave Matter’: Senior Imam Says Israel Barred Him From Entering Al-Aqsa Mosque Ahead Of Ramadan

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