Kingdom denounces arrest of Al Aqsa imam

AMMAN — Jordan strongly denounced the Israeli occupation forces' arrest of Al Aqsa Mosque Imam Sheikh Mohammed Salim following Friday prayers.

Israeli occupation forces arrested Sheikh Salim for hours as he left Al Aqsa Mosque accusing him of “incitement” in his sermon delivered at the mosque.

In a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Hayel Dawood expressed the Kingdom's rejection and denouncement of the Israeli occupation authorities' arrest of a "cleric performing his religious duties," describing the short detention of the imam as an "interference in the mosque's affairs".

Dawood also said that the ministry has followed up on the detention of Sheikh Salim who was released hours later, according to Petra. 

Feras Dabbas, press spokesperson of the Islamic Waqf, was quoted in international press as saying that despite the intervention of the director of the Waqf, Sheikh Azzam Al Khatib, the occupation forces insisted on arresting Salim and had taken him to a detention centre, without revealing his whereabouts.

The Jordanian Hashemite leadership, is the custodian of Islamic and Christian holy shrines in East Jerusalem and Amman, appoints Waqf officials at Al Haram Al Sharif.