On July 19, 2021, DEFEND JERUSALEM requested that Omer Bar-Lev, the Minister for Internal Security, use the powers of his good office to ensure that Palestinian researcher and activist Ahmad al-Khatwani be removed from all activities on the Temple Mount.
Al-Khatwani, a prominent researcher and Palestinian activist, is a well-known inciter of violence against the State of Israel and Jews—he uses the Temple Mount both as a pulpit and a Cause célèbre. He is a frequent guest preacher in the mosques of Jerusalem, and he uses this platform to preach the need for a Jihad against Jews, the West, and all non-believers; he even calls for a holy war against the moderate Arab regimes of the region.
His illegal pleas for violence are not done in secret. Quite the contrary, his sermons are publicized events and the content of his fiery calls for bloodshed are recorded, posted online, and broadcast on networks around the Middle East—especially the channel Al-Aksa Call. His incitement sparks great interest in the various social media platforms.
Exacerbating the toxicity of his rhetoric is the fact that al-Khatwani’s backdrop—indeed home territory—for this dangerous hate-filled speech is the al-Aqsa mosque, a flashpoint of tensions in the area. The recent troubles in May 2021 proved how any incitement involving the al-Aqsa Mosque can quickly escalate into full-blown conflict.
Ahmad al-Khatwani has purposely taken advantage of his strategic position atop the Temple Mount to do everything in his power to spark riots, terror, and bloodshed. This must not be allowed to continue. Therefore, DEFEND JERUSALEM is requesting that Minister Bar-Lev use the powers of his office and the security agencies he controls to make sure that Ahmad al-Khatwani is permanently removed from the Temple Mount.
