Ibrahimi Mosque Closed to Muslim Worshippers Amid Rising West Bank Tensions
Hammam Abu Marakhia, the acting director of the mosque, said the closure was implemented Friday morning and would remain in effect "until further notice." He stated that Israeli forces ordered guards, staff members, custodians, and worshippers to leave the premises.
Abu Marakhia described the decision as a “blatant violation” of the mosque’s sanctity and said it infringed upon Muslims’ right to freely access their place of worship.
He also reported that Israeli forces increased security measures around the site by shutting military checkpoints and electronic gates leading to the mosque.
The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs strongly criticized the move, describing it as a direct violation of Muslims’ right to reach and pray at their holy sites.
In a statement, the ministry argued that the closure is part of a continuing Israeli policy intended to change the religious and historical status quo at the mosque.
The ministry further warned that ongoing restrictions could result in the imposition of a “new reality” within the site and called on international institutions and human rights organizations to take action to guarantee unrestricted access for worshippers.
The Ibrahimi Mosque is situated in Hebron’s Old City, an area that remains under full Israeli military control. Approximately 400 Israeli settlers live there under the protection of around 1,500 Israeli soldiers.
Following the 1994 massacre in which an Israeli settler killed 29 Palestinian worshippers, the mosque complex was divided, with 63% of the site designated for Jewish worshippers and 37% allocated to Muslims.
The latest closure comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions throughout the occupied West Bank, where military operations, arrests, and settler-related attacks have increased since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.
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