Israel bans teacher from Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israeli police on Monday banned a Palestinian woman from the Al-Aqsa Mosque, where she teaches, for three months. Um Radwan told Ma'an that Israeli police telephoned her on Sunday, summoning her to the Russian Compound interrogation center. She told police she was visiting a relative in hospital, and police went to the hospital and handed her a summons, which she refused to accept. More police arrived and detained Um Radwan. Um Radwan was interrogated for two hours on and released with a summons to appear for further interrogation. On Monday, Um Radwan was interrogated again at the Russian Compound for another two hours, and released with an order banning her from the Al-Aqsa Mosque for three months. Um Radwan teaches the history of Jerusalem at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and leads guided tours for students around the holy site. The tours are part of a program sponsored by the Al-Aqsa Foundation. Um Radwan said Israel had banned nine other women involved in the program from the mosque. Earlier in July, 25-year-old Hussam Sidir, an employee of the foundation, was banned from the mosque for three months. Um Radwan said Israel was trying to keep activists away from the mosque so Israeli settlers could enter more easily.