Jerusalem’s Grand Mufti Banned from Temple Mount Over Gaza-Focused Sermon

In a decision drawing sharp criticism from Palestinian representatives, Israeli authorities have barred Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, from entering the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for six months.

The ban, confirmed by his attorney Khaldoun Najem, stems from a sermon delivered by Hussein at Al-Aqsa in late July, during which he reportedly spoke about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. According to Najem, the sermon was peaceful and contained “nothing inappropriate.”

The Mufti, the most senior Islamic cleric in the city, is prohibited from accessing the site until January 2026. The Israeli police have not issued an official statement or responded to media inquiries regarding the move.

The Palestinian Authority's official news agency, WAFA, reported that Hussein had condemned what he described as Israeli “starvation policies” amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, an allegation linked to the broader humanitarian fallout from the war that began after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.

This isn’t the first time the Mufti has faced restrictions. Following the same sermon, he was issued an initial eight-day ban, which has now escalated into a half-year prohibition.

Najem emphasized that Hussein was neither interrogated nor granted a hearing before the ban was imposed, raising concerns among Palestinian leaders and legal advocates about due process and freedom of religious expression.

Flashpoint Compound at the Center of Tensions

The Temple Mount, referred to by Muslims as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, remains one of the most volatile religious and political flashpoints in Jerusalem. It is the holiest site in Judaism and the third-holiest in Islam, and tensions surrounding control and access to the site have historically triggered violent escalations.

Recently, far-right Israeli politicians have intensified calls to alter the long-standing status quo, which bars Jewish prayer at the site. Earlier this month, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir led a prayer group during Tisha B’Av, defying the customary restrictions. Though administered by a Jordanian Islamic trust, the compound’s security is overseen by the Israel Police.

While Muslims have open access to the site, Jewish and non-Muslim visitors are restricted to specific hours and routes, often under heavy police escort. Ben Gvir has advocated loosening these limitations, prompting concerns from Jordan, Palestinian factions, and international observers that any change to the arrangement could inflame regional tensions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel does not intend to alter the site’s status, though critics point to growing tolerance of Jewish prayer there under Ben Gvir’s leadership.

The site holds deep symbolic weight across the Muslim world, particularly for Hamas, which named its October 7 attack “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.”

Jordan, which has custodial responsibility over Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem, has in the past threatened to suspend its peace treaty with Israel should the religious status quo be fundamentally altered.