Israeli policemen taking the Chairman of Awqaf Council in Jerusalem, Sheikh Abdul-Azim Salhab, to an unknown destination after raiding his home in occupied East Jerusalem in middle of the night. 24 February 2019

RAMALLAH, Sunday, February 24, 2019 (WAFA) – Minister of Awqaf (Endowments) and Religious Affairs, Yousef Ed’ais, condemned on Sunday the detention by Israeli occupation forces last night of the Chairman of Awqaf Council in Jerusalem, Sheikh Abdul-Azim Salhab, and the Deputy Director of Awqaf in Jerusalem, Sheikh Najeh Bkerat, describing their detention as a sign of failure and crisis.

“This is a sign of the failure and crisis experienced by the [Israeli] occupation after the important success achieved by the masses and the Awqaf of Jerusalem in the reopening of Bab al-Rahmeh, which had been closed by the occupation since 2003,” Ed’ais said in a press release.

He described the detention of the two Awqaf officials as well as the detention of over 60 Palestinians from Jerusalem over the past few days over tensions in Al-Aqsa Mosque as a bad omen, saying the Israeli occupation might be plotting for more serious steps against Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is run by the Muslim Awqaf department.

Earlier last night, Israeli police raided the homes of Salhab, 75 years old, and Bkerat in occupied Jerusalem and detained them in middle of the night.

The Palestinian Authority‘s Detainees and Ex-Detainees Commission said Israeli police handed the two Awqaf officials preemptive orders to stay away from Al-Aqsa Mosque for seven days. Both were not yet brought before court when they received the orders inside Israeli police custody. 

Both Salhab and Bkerat had a leading role in the reopening of the gate to Bab al-Rahma area inside Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Friday, where thousands of Palestinians performed the Friday Muslim prayer inside it for the first time in 16 years.

M.N