Israeli court sentences Jerusalemite to 4½ years for defending Al-Aqsa

An Israeli court sentenced Mahmoud Al-Shakhshir, detained since 2023, to four and a half years in prison.

He was accused of resisting Israeli forces in Al-Quds and confronting raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to Quds Press.

Al-Shakhshir was arrested during Ramadan 2023 in what locals call the “I’tikaf Battle,” along with around 450 worshipers. While other detainees were later released, he remains imprisoned.

Observers say Israel issues harsh sentences against those defending Al-Aqsa to deter popular resistance in occupied Al-Quds.