Sheikh Raed Salah criticizes visits of Islamic figures to Jerusalem

Sheikh Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic movement in 1948 occupied Palestine, has criticized the visits to the Aqsa mosque in occupied Jerusalem by Arab and Islamic figures.

He told Al-Jazeera TV network on Wednesday night that on his return from the UK a couple of days ago the Israeli authorities took him from the airport to a police station and told him he was barred from entering Jerusalem.

“How come I am banned from entering Jerusalem while allowing Arab and Islamic figures to visit it,” he questioned.

How can we explain a similar ban on Sheikh Ekrema Sabri, a preacher at the Aqsa, while allowing Arab and Islamic figures to visit it, Salah went on.

The Sheikh said it was sad that the the Mufti of Egypt Dr. Ali Juma’a visited the Aqsa mosque, opining that if the Mufti knew of a number of facts he would have refrained from going ahead with the visit.

He said that he was speaking about the phenomenon and not about specific persons.

The Mufti of Egypt and before him other Arab and Islamic figures visited occupied Jerusalem and prayed in the Aqsa mosque under Israeli protection and permission.