Palestinian Arab Islamic scholar Sheikh Issam Amira was issued a ban from the Temple Mount on Saturday after he called the beheading of French teacher Samuel Paty a “great honor” for all Muslims during his weekly sermon at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
“The Jerusalem Police summoned Sheikh Issam Amira, one of the preachers on the Temple Mount, for investigation after he praised the terrorist who beheaded the French teacher in Nice,” reported journalist Yoni Ben Menachem. “The sheikh was released at the end of the interrogation and was banned from the Temple Mount.”
The police summoned the cleric following an official complaint submitted on Friday by the Arab Desk of the Zionist watchdog organization Im Tirtzu, which learned of Amira’s remarks from the Middle East Media Research Institute that publicized a translation of the sermon the previous day.
Im Tirtzu also noted in its police complaint that Amira’s presence on the Temple Mount was in violation of a six-month ban that was issued to him by the police in September.
The sheikh has a long history of inciting violence during his sermons at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which have included praise for ISIS, encouragement of honor killings, and urging holy war against the Jews.
Im Tirtzu’s Arab Desk called the cleric a “radical and dangerous person who regularly incites against Israel and against the free world.”
“We welcome the response of the police and expect that this sheikh will be prosecuted and held accountable for his radical and illegal actions. The blood of the citizens of Israel is not cheap,” added Im Tirtzu.
