Muslims on the Temple Mount
Muslims on the Temple MountSuliman Kedar, Flash 90

An indictment on Thursday was filed at the Jerusalem District Court against Hamas' Al-Shabab al-Aqsa leader Nahad Zayyeir.

Al-Shabab al-Aqsa is a religious organization which serves as Hamas' branch on the Temple Mount.

Zayyeir is accused of playing an administrative role in a terror organization and of holding a position in an unlawful association.

Recently, the Jerusalem District court prosecution submitted indictments against 12 Hamas officials, along with a request to arrest them until the legal proceedings are over.

In recent years, Hamas officials have played a central role in illegal events held on the Temple Mount. These events included violently barricading themselves in the Al-Aqsa mosque, and aggressvely confronting security forces and visitors. In addition to their constituting a publiic danger, Hamas members also hold social and organizational events on the Temple Mount.

Shabak (Israel Security Agency) officials and Israel Police arrested in recent months several residents of Jerusalem's Arab neighborhoods, who are members of Al-Shabab al-Aqsa and were involved in attempts to attack Temple Mount security forces and visitors violently . In October 2016, a policeman and a civilian woman were killed in a shooting attack near Ammunition Hill, which was carried out by one of the organization's leaders, Masabah Abusabiah.

The arrests were made thanks to the Shabak and Israel Police's intelligence and operational activities, whose orders are to ensure safe access to the Temple Mount, to preserve the status quo, and to prevent terror groups from disturbing the area's security.

The district prosecutor ordered Zayyeir arrested until legal proceedings against him are completed.