Palestine on Saturday slammed Israel for issuing a new restraining order against a top Muslim cleric to keep him away from Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem for four months.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry in a statement said that the restraining order against the head of the Palestinian Higher Islamic Council and the preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque Ekrima Sabri is an illegal decision that aims at keeping Palestinians away from the holy site in the hope of dividing the mosque.

"The occupying state has no jurisdiction in intervening and determining who is allowed to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and who doesn't, and determining who enters the holy sites and who does not," said the ministry in a statement.

Last Sunday, Israeli police summoned Sabri and gave him a one week restraining order from the Al-Aqsa Mosque citing incitement.

However, he entered the mosque along with worshippers on Friday and attended the noon prayer at the mosque.

In response of the move, the Israeli police issued a new restraining order banning Sabri from entering the mosque for another four months.

Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, known to the Jewish people as the Temple Mount, is sacred to both Muslims and Jews. 

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