Sheikh Jamal Mustafa, a renowned imam of a mosque in Jerusalem’s Issawiya neighbourhood, has been sentenced to three years in prison by an Israeli court for alleged incitement in one of his khutbas (sermons).
The sentence came after a period of harsh investigations that Sheikh Mustafa was subjected to, who was arrested on October 15, 2023.
The 70-year-old imam’s arrest was part of a broader crackdown on Palestinian expressions of support for resistance movements.
In addition to Sheikh Mustafa, the Israeli forces also jailed two other imams of mosques in Jerusalem on a similar charge following the October 7, 2023, events in Gaza. They are: Sheikh Issam Amireh from Sur Baher and Naim Odeh from Silwan.
The war began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas infiltrated southern Israel, sending fighters, firing 5,000 rockets, and taking hostages, which prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to warn of “a long and difficult war.“
Since then, Israel has been launching a devastating offensive on Gaza, despite a UN Security Council resolution requesting an immediate cease-fire.
In Gaza, more than 43,300 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 102,347 others injured,
On the Israeli side, about 1,200 people have been killed and more than 250 hostages taken.
