‘Those who oppose Israel are labelled as terrorists’

Former Palestinian Islamic Movement leader Raid Salah accepted journalists from Turkey at his home in Palestine.

Salah, who is also known as the “Masjid al-Aqsa Guardian,” said, "Israeli authorities have waged war on all our Islamic values we try to live with. We are passing through a difficult period."

Salah, who was arrested by Israeli forces in May and held in prison until April for allegedly “encouraging violence” during his Friday sermons, said that Israel was putting all forms of pressure on Muslims.

Israel banned the Islamic Movement at the end of 2015, and despite many investigations, they have found no reason for this ban.

"Israel has labeled us with the terrorist stamp that is fashionable all over the world these days. As a result, 30 Islamic organizations were closed down. The institutions that were closed used to serve 500,000 Palestinians,” Salah said.

Pointing out that Turkey was the country that aided the Palestinians the most, Salah said, “The aid of other countries are derisory. It’s like giving painkillers to a severe cancer patient.”

Salah added that not only were institutions and foundations that helped the Palestinian people shut down, but also banned those who ran those services from entering Jerusalem and did not allow them to travel overseas.

"Since 2007, I have been banned from entering al-Aqsa Mosque. I have not been allowed to enter Jerusalem for many years. I am forbidden to leave the country in the same way," Salah said.

Salah explained that Israel had banned the recital of the adhan.

“There is a law prohibiting the reading of the adhan. After the law was introduced, 20 people were taken into custody. Some of these names were imprisoned and some of them were sent to house imprisonment,” Salah said.

“The prohibitions don’t stop with the adhan. Iftar organizations are also banned and there are many bans in place surrounding the distribution of qurban meat,” he added.

Referring to the Qatar crisis, Salah said those who oppose Israel and its structure are labeled as a terrorist.

"The occupying Israel does not recognize the al-Aqsa Mosque. They [Israel] do not believe that Muslims have a right to be there. That’s why they have banned us from entering al-Aqsa Mosque. That’s why they allow extremist Jews to enter and treat us as the enemy,” said Salah.

“By defending extremist Jews with armed guards, they are challenging the Muslim world.”

Salah stayed in Israeli prisons for extended periods of time due to the Israeli forces.

"I was forced to live isolated in a cell alone. I was not able to see any prisoners. I could only meet other prisoners by shouting out the windows. Heavy cancer patients were not given medication,” said Salah as he described the circumstances in Israeli prisons.

“Prisoners are subjected to extreme torture. Since 1948, nearly a million Palestinians have entered Israel's prisons and have been subjected to 70 different torture practices,” he added.

“Jerusalem’s Guardian” Salah said that Israeli harassment against Muslims is increasing day by day, and that the Israeli forces attacked Muslims even during the holy month of Ramadan.

"Israel's meeting of the Council of Ministers was held in one of the tunnels beneath the al-Aqsa Mosque. Recently, Israeli soldiers performed a military ceremony in the garden of the al-Aqsa Mosque. We are forbidden to enter because we opposed this," said Salah.

“I miss the al-Aqsa Mosque very much. But what I miss more is to see and enter it as a mosque without occupation. One day, all Muslims will come to the al-Aqsa Mosque. This will only be possible through the end of the occupation. In Jerusalem, there sanctuaries belonging to each of the three [Abrahamic] faiths, but Israel prevents people from different religions from living in peace. Israel only imposes its own hegemony and rejects all other sides."