Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, appeared Wednesday in Jerusalem District Court for an appeals hearing on his conviction in March on charges of racism and incitement to violence.
He arrived for the hearing flanked by Israeli Arab Mks Ayman Odeh, Ahmed Tibi and Hanin Zoabi, as well as former MK Mohammad Barakeh.
“In spirit and in blood, we will defend Al Aqsa Mosque,” Salah declared to reporters at the court house. “We aren’t afraid of prison. We will continue on our way to defend Jerusalem and Al Aqsa Mosque.”
The government has recently begun steps to outlaw Salah’s organization, which has been responsible for repeatedly whipping up the Arab population into a frenzy of anti-Israel hatred that translates into rage-driven violence. It is the northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel that continues to spread lies about Israel’s intentions regarding the Temple Mount, with claims the government plans to change the status quo at the site, which it does not.
Salah’s conviction on incitement came following a sermon he delivered at Friday prayers in 2007.
Salah called for an Islamic intifada during the sermon. “We never allowed ourselves to knead the break of the fast-breaking meal in the month of blessed Ramadan with the blood of the children,” he said at that time.
“Those who want a more detailed explanation should ask: what happened to some of the [Christian] children of Europe, whose blood would be mixed in the holy bread [of Jews, on Pesach],” he suggested.
The high profile cleric was sentenced last March to a prison term of 11 months, a sentence that was extended from the original decision of eight months in jail originally handed down.
