Islamic Waqf media official banned from Al-Aqsa

Israeli police yesterday banned the media official at the Department of Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem from Al-Aqsa Mosque for a period of six months for “security reasons”.

Firas Al-Dibs told the Anadolu Agency that he was summoned to the police station and questioned for five hours yesterday morning. He was later banned from Al-Aqsa.

“When I asked for the reason for their decision their answer was that it was for security reasons, but they did not clarify,” he said.

“It is a strange, reprehensible and unjustified decision, I do my duty as an administrator in the Department of Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem, which is responsible for Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

Al-Dibs pointed out that Israeli police had also extended the detention of three Al-Aqsa Mosque guards who were arrested on Wednesday for another day on charges of attacking settlers during their incursions into the mosque.

He added that police had banned a fourth guard from Al-Aqsa for a period of four months.

Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Simari said in a statement that the police had extended the detention of three guards for one day, “on suspicion of assaulting Jewish visitors yesterday morning”.