Hebron: The occupation closes the Ibrahimi Mosque "until further notice"

SadaNews - On Friday, Israeli forces closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in the city of Hebron, located in the southern West Bank, to Palestinian worshippers "until further notice," forcing guards, attendants, employees, and worshippers to leave the site. The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs described this move as a "serious violation of the freedom of worship."

The acting Director of the Ibrahimi Mosque, Hummam Abu Murkhiya, stated that Israeli forces had closed the mosque since the morning hours, compelling everyone inside to leave. He considered what happened to be a "flagrant violation of the sanctity of the Ibrahimi Mosque and a provocative assault on Muslims' right to access their places of worship."

Abu Murkhiya added that Israeli forces intensified their military measures around the mosque, closed military checkpoints and electronic gates leading to it, and prevented worshippers from reaching the mosque.

For its part, the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs stated that the closure of the Ibrahimi Mosque "represents a serious violation of the freedom of worship and a direct targeting of Muslims' right to access their holy sites."

The ministry added in a statement that this step reflects "an ongoing Israeli policy aimed at undermining the existing religious and historical status of the holy site," considering it part of continuous attempts to change the existing reality in the mosque.

The ministry condemned the Israeli action, describing it as a "serious escalation and an explicit provocation to Muslim sentiments," affirming that it represents a "blatant violation of international laws and agreements that guarantee freedom of worship and the protection of holy sites."

It warned of the "serious repercussions of the continuation of these systematic violations," considering that they aim to "impose a new reality inside the mosque," and called on international and human rights bodies for "immediate action to stop these practices and ensure the mosque is open to worshippers without restrictions."

In a related context, Hamas condemned the closure of the Ibrahimi Mosque, considering that the step represents a "new crime and a blatant assault on one of the pure Islamic sanctities, and a flagrant violation of the freedom of worship and the right of our people to access their sacred sites and practice their religious rituals."

The movement stated in a statement that the closure of the mosque comes amid "escalating violations by the occupation against our Islamic sanctities, and its ongoing policies of Judaization and systematic pressure on our people, within the framework of its continuous attempts to impose new realities aimed at targeting the Arab and Islamic identity of the Ibrahimi Mosque and all our sanctities."

It added that "these aggressive and Judaization policies will not succeed in altering the identity of the Ibrahimi Mosque or undermining our people's established right to it; it will remain a purely Islamic mosque, and our people will continue to uphold their rights and constants and defend their sanctities no matter the sacrifices made."

Hamas called on the international community, the United Nations, and relevant institutions for "urgent and effective action to stop these serious violations and to take deterrent measures against the occupying government." It also urged Palestinians in the West Bank in general and in the city of Hebron in particular to "intensify their presence and steadfastness at the Ibrahimi Mosque, to make their way to it, and to confront all the occupation's plans aimed at Judaizing it and imposing control over it."

The Ibrahimi Mosque is located in the old town of Hebron, which is under full Israeli control, where around 400 settlers live guarded by about 1,500 Israeli soldiers.

Since 1994, following the massacre committed by settler Baruch Goldstein inside the mosque, which led to the martyrdom of 29 Palestinian worshippers, Israel has imposed a division of the mosque, allocating 63% to Jews and 37% to Muslims.

The mosque was fully open to Muslims on several religious occasions, including the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, but Palestinians affirm that Israeli authorities have imposed increasing restrictions on access to it in recent years.

The closure of the mosque comes amid rising assaults and Israeli measures in the West Bank, along with growing attacks by settlers and the Israeli army since the onset of the war on Gaza in October 2023.

According to Palestinian data, Israeli assaults in the West Bank resulted in the martyrdom of 1,168 Palestinians and injuries to 12,666 others, in addition to the arrest of about 23,000 Palestinians and the displacement of 33,000 from their homes.