In brief
Israel shut the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron to Palestinian worshippers on the eve of a Jewish observance, citing security concerns ahead of an expected 20,000 Israeli visitors. Palestinian mosque officials said the closure prevented entry and the call to prayer was suspended, while Israeli forces maintained heavy security and checkpoints. The move follows a recent takeover of planning powers and precedes an earlier 10‑day siege that displaced thousands of Palestinians.
On the eve of a Jewish holiday in Hebron, Israeli forces shut the Ibrahimi Mosque to Palestinian worshippers, allowing only Israeli settlers to enter its prayer halls and courtyards.
The Ibrahimi Mosque, known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs, sits in the Old City of Hebron and is revered by both Muslims and Jews as the burial site of the Prophet Abraham and his family. The closure was imposed in the afternoon on Friday and was set to last until 10 pm on Saturday, coinciding with an annual Jewish observance that commemorates Sarah, the wife of the Prophet Abraham.
“Israelis will be the only ones allowed into the mosque’s prayer halls and courtyards,” mosque director Moataz Abu Sneineh told Al Jazeera, indicating Israeli authorities intended exclusive use of the site for the holiday.
Israelis will be the only ones allowed into the mosque’s prayer halls and courtyards.
The Israeli soldiers tightened checkpoints and restricted movement across the Old City, preventing some residents from entering or leaving their homes. The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments said worshippers and mosque employees had been barred and the call to prayer was suspended.
According to Israeli forces, about 20,000 visitors were expected at the site for the holiday, with hundreds of security personnel deployed. The Jerusalem Post reported that Israeli troops anticipated the large influx and had prepared extensive security measures. These actions are part of a broader strategy to assert Israeli control over the contested holy place.
The closure follows a June announcement by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who announced a takeover of the planning and construction powers in the Old City that were previously under the Palestinian municipality ‑ a move that undermines Palestinian oversight of the museum and raises fears of exclusive Jewish use of the site.
The Ibrahimi Mosque closure came just days after Israeli forces ended a 10‑day siege of Hebron, during which hundreds of arrests, 15 home demolitions, and the displacement of more than 3,300 Palestinians were reported. The siege ended amid international pressure and internal protests, but the turmoil left deep resentment in the community.
Local residents describe the area as eerily quiet as the mosque once thrummed with prayers. The Israeli authorities maintain that the measures are necessary for security during a major gathering, while Palestinian officials view it as a blatant attempt to deny worship rights and assert dominance over a shared holy site. The situation remains tense as both sides prepare for the holiday’s observances.
