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Israel bans Islamist Arab party for "inciting violence"

Xinhua, November 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Israel banned a radical wing of an Islamist Arab party on Tuesday, saying it has been inciting violence at East Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound that has escalated to weeks of deadly violence.

The cabinet declared in a statement that the "Northern Branch" of the Islamic Movement has become illegal, meaning anyone belonging to this organization, including any person who gives it service, or acts on its behalf, "will be committing a criminal offense and is subject to imprisonment." It will also be possible to seize all property belonging to the group, the statement said.

The cabinet accused the radical head of the organization, Sheikh Raed Salah, for leading a "false" campaign claiming Israel intends to violate the status-quo in the al-Aqsa mosque compound, a flashpoint site holy to both Muslims and Jews.

The movement, originally founded in 1971, has been involved in Islamic education and charities among Israeli Arabs.

Salah was sentenced in October to 11 months in jail for inciting violence at the site in 2007. He had been jailed for his involvement in raising funds for Hamas and leading a violent rally.

Arab leaders in Israel warned that banning the movement, which has hundreds of thousands of sympathizers among Israel's Arab minority, will be perceived as an assault on the entire Arab society.

The leader of the Arab-Jewish Joint List faction, Ayman Odeh, accused the government of inciting further escalation among Israeli Arabs, saying the move "is nothing more than anti-democratic political prosecution, as part of the government's de-legitimization campaign against the Arab public."

Increased visits by Jewish hardliners to the al-Aqsa compound triggered a wave of violence, which quickly spread to the rest of the West Bank, Gaza and Israel. More than 80 Palestinians and 14 Israelis have been killed in the violence since September.

Israel claims the violence is a result of incitement by officials with the Palestinian National Authority and the Islamic Movement in Israel. The Palestinians say it derives from frustration due to almost 50 years of occupation and the lack of a political solution in the foreseeable future. Endit