Palestinian icon Raed Salah released from Israeli prison

Israeli authorities on Monday released Palestinian icon Sheikh Raed Salah after 17 months in prison, according to his defense lawyer.

“Salah has been released from prison and is on his way home,” Omar Khamaysi told Anadolu Agency.

Waving green banners, scores of Palestinians stood outside Megiddo prison in northern Israel to welcome Salah.

Salah, the leader of the northern branch of Islamic Movement in Israel, was detained in August 2017 and indicted for alleged incitement over his criticism of the erection of metal detectors at Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

He was sentenced to 28 months in prison by an Israeli court. He served 11 months in jail, half of which was in solitary confinement before he was moved to house arrest.