Sheikh Raed Salah, getting support
Photo: Tsafrir Abayov
Sheikh Raed Salah, leader of the Islamic Movement's northern branch in Israel was escorted by hundreds of supporters on Sunday, on his way to Ayalon Prison, where he began serving his sentence for spitting on and assaulting a police officer.
Before reporting to prison, Sheikh Salah received a warm embrace from the Muslim Brotherhood movement in Egypt.
Behind Bars
Raanan Ben-Zur
Head of Islamic Movement's northern branch begins serving his prison sentence after being convicted of assaulting police officer. Some 100 supporters, including extreme left-wing activist Tali Fahima, escort him to Ayalon Prison
According to the reports, Badia expressed his support, "And the support of all Muslims and free people in Salah's just actions. The Zionist decision to imprison him has reached new levels of racism and is against every humane principle anchored in international pacts," he said.
In the spirit of Salah's statements, Badia called the incarceration "part of the Zionist attempt to Judaize the Muslim holy places in Jerusalem and destroy al-Aqsa Mosque.
"This is the reason the Zionist entity showed hostility and tried to punish him in every possible way, including an assassination attempt during the recent freedom flotilla – from which he was saved by Allah," Badia added.
The Muslim Brotherhood chief wished to extend his message to the movement's supporters inside Israel as well. "Stand strong and continue to hold on to Palestine's blessed land until Allah brings victory upon us," he said, adding that "we must not be silent – we must start protecting Islam's holy places in Jerusalem, while stopping the Zionist drift and the escalating Jewish domination of the Holy City. "
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