Palestinian scholar Sheikh Issam Amira has been banned from the Temple Mount compound over the weekend after he called the Oct. 16 beheading of French teacher Samuel Paty a "great honor" for all Muslims during his weekly sermon at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
"The Jerusalem Police summoned Sheikh Issam Amira, one of the preachers on the Temple Mount, for investigation after he praised the terrorist who beheaded the French teacher in Nice," local media reported, adding Amira was "released following an interrogation and was banned from the Temple Mount."
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The police summoned the cleric following a complaint filed by right-wing watchdog group Im Tirtzu. The NGO noted in its police complaint that Amira's presence on the Temple Mount was in violation of a six-month ban that was issued to him by the police in September.
The sheikh has a long history of inciting violence during his sermons at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which have included praise for ISIS, encouragement of honor killings, and urging holy war against the Jews.
