Israel Detains Al-Aqsa Mosque Imam

Israeli authorities have detained the imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Ali Abbasi, in occupied East Jerusalem. Israel has banned Sheikh Muhammad from entering the mosque compound for one week.

As reported by Anadolu Agency on Tuesday (17/2/2026), the detention was carried out just days before the start of the holy month of Ramadan. The Jerusalem Governorate stated that Sheikh Muhammad Ali Abbasi was detained by Israeli forces and barred from entering the mosque compound for one week.

The statement did not cite the reason for the ban. The move comes amid Israeli escalation across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Israel has also been restricting worshippers’ access to Al-Aqsa. Furthermore, attacks by illegal Jewish settlers on the conflict-prone compound have continued to increase.

Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is set to begin this week. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in the world for Muslims.

Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming it is the location of two ancient Jewish temples. Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is situated, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.

Israel annexed the entire city in 1980, a move that has never been recognised by the international community.