Gaza: Israel sentences 70-year-old Palestinian imam to jail, cites alleged incitement
Israel has sentenced Sheikh Jamal Mustafa, a 70-year-old Palestinian imam, to three years in prison for alleged incitement to terrorism.
Mustafa, the imam of a mosque in Jerusalem’s Issawiya neighborhood, was arrested and detained in October last year, following the start of Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli court‘s decision came after allegations of incitement in one of Mustafa’s sermons last year. His sentencing is part of a broader crackdown on Palestinian expression of support for resistance operations, including the October 7 attacks.
In addition to Mustafa’s case, Israeli police have also imprisoned two other Jerusalem-based imams on similar charges following the attacks. These developments highlight the escalating tensions and restrictions on Palestinian leaders and activists.
The sentencing of Sheikh Mustafa has sparked concerns about freedom of speech and the targeting of Palestinian religious leaders. The Israeli government has been increasingly vigilant in monitoring and prosecuting individuals deemed to be promoting or inciting violence.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has resulted in significant human suffering and instability in the region.
Israel’s violent air and land raids in Gaza have killed at least 43,391 Palestinians and injured 102,347 since October 7, 2023. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day, and more than 200 were taken captive.
