Israel arrests director of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli police has detained Sheikh Omar al Kiswani- the director of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, according to eyewitnesses.

Israeli forces raided the home of al-Kiswani in al-Tur neighborhood in East Jerusalem on Monday and took him into custody, as testified by several witnesses.

No reason has been provided for his detention by the Israeli state.

Israeli forces also confiscated a computer and a number of documents during the raid.

Earlier on Saturday, the Israeli authorities announced the decision to deport a number of Palestinians from Al-Aqsa Mosque in preparation for the upcoming Jewish holidays.

Al-Kiswani has been detained several times before by the Israeli police.

Earlier on Saturday, the UN condemned Israeli raids in Palestine leading to arbitrary detentions and police brutality in case of resistance, leading to fatalities.

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland expressed ‘grave concern’ over the “deteriorating security situation and the unacceptable daily loss of life in the West Bank,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

“There can be no winners if the current violence continues to escalate,” he said, adding that “civilians continue to pay the price for political failure.”

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the “Temple Mount,” claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.