Israel’s demand for the roofing of the courtyard is part of an ongoing effort to expand its control over the site, a move that Palestinian authorities strongly oppose.
Israel’s Hebron District Coordination and Liaison Office has informed the administration of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron (Al-Khalil), that management of the mosque is being transferred from the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments to Israeli authorities.
This unilateral decision, which has sparked widespread rejection from Palestinian officials, marks a significant shift in control over one of Islam’s holiest sites in the region.
As part of this controversial decision, work will resume on roofing the area of the mosque known as the “courtyard.”
For the past two decades, illegal Israeli Jewish settlers have established a presence in this space, setting up a tent and designating the area as a place of worship.
Their demand for the roofing of the courtyard is part of an ongoing Israeli effort to expand its control over the site, a move that Palestinian authorities strongly oppose.
Judaization of the Ibrahimi Mosque – What is Israel’s Endgame in Al-Khalil
The Israeli occupation forces had initially started roofing the courtyard on July 9 of the previous year. However, construction was halted two days later due to widespread protests and sit-ins in Hebron, organized by the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs.
These demonstrations were an attempt to stop the Israeli authorities from altering the status quo at the Ibrahimi Mosque.
The Palestinian Ministry of Endowments has reiterated its stance that it is the legitimate authority over the mosque, and any effort to change its status would be a direct attack on a significant religious site.
This claim is based on long-established legal and religious grounds, which hold that the mosque is an integral part of Palestine’s Islamic heritage.
In response to these developments, Hamas has called for the prosecution of Israeli leaders by the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and other human rights organizations for their ongoing violations of Palestinian rights.
The movement emphasized in a statement that the Israeli occupation’s efforts to Judaize Palestinian land, particularly religious sites, will never succeed in intimidating the Palestinian people or altering the region’s historical and cultural landscape.
The group called on Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem, the 1948 territories, as well as those in refugee camps and the diaspora, to maintain their resistance and steadfastness in defending their land and holy sites.
Hamas also stressed that the Israeli occupation’s brutal actions would not grant it legitimacy over any inch of Palestinian land, and that the will to resist remains strong despite the ongoing occupation.
(PC, AJA)
