Al-Aqsa imam announces mass protest on Friday in east Jerusalem
Al-Aqsa imam and Supreme Muslim Council Head Sheikh Ekrima Sabri announced Tuesday that large demonstrations will be held this Friday in all of east Jerusalem to protest the decision of the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court to allow Orthodox Jews to perform Talmudic ceremonies at the gates of the mosque.
"We will not recognize the court's decision as it has no right to discuss this matter," Sabri said, adding their decision "harms and provokes (Muslim) worshipers, especially since Friday is the Friday prayer and the Land Day."
Land Day, March 30, is an annual day of commemoration for Palestinians of the events of that date in 1976.
In response to the Israeli government's announcement of a plan to expropriate thousands of dunams of land for security and settlement purposes, a general strike and marches were organized in Arab towns from the Galilee to the Negev. In the ensuing riots and confrontations with the Israeli army and police, six unarmed Arab citizens were killed, about one hundred were wounded, and hundreds of others arrested.
