Despicable Zionists take over Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron – again

On 8 October, the Israeli occupation’s extremist government closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron – the second holiest site in occupied Palestine for Muslims, under the pretext of Jewish holiday celebrations, while denying access to Palestinian Muslim worshippers, or the ability to pray there.

The Ibrahimi Mosque: closed again

The Ibrahimi Mosque, called the Cave of the Patriarch by Jews, is a sacred site for both Muslims and Jews, and both religions are equally entitled to pray there. For Muslims, it is revered as the burial place of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and other prophets, making it the fourth holiest site in Islam and a key place for worship. For Jews, the site is believed to be the burial site of the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people, and is a major place of prayer.

In July, the Ibrahimi Mosque management was transferred from the Palestinian-run Hebron municipality, to the Jewish Religious Council in an illegal Jewish settlement in Hebron.

Then, on 8 October – the second day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot – about 1,300 illegal colonial settlers led by extremist Security Minister Ben Gvir and under heavy military protection, also broke into East Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque – the holiest Muslim site in occupied Palestine, and performed provocative rituals in its courtyards:

The raid also coincided with the 35^th anniversary of the Al- Aqsa Mosque massacre, in which the Israeli occupation’s police and border guards killed 21 Palestinian civilians at the mosque, and injured more than 300:

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Ben Gvir, who was declaring “we are the owners of the Temple Mount,” has long called for the destruction of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the building of the ‘Temple Mount’ on its ruins:

Continued apartheid

Since October 7, 2023, the occupation’s security forces have imposed strict restrictions on access not only to the occupied old City of Jerusalem and the entire grounds of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, but also on praying at the mosque. Thousands of Palestinians, including women and at least 15 journalists, have been banned, for periods of six months at a time, which is renewable.

According to an agreement between Jordan and Israel, in 1967, non-Muslims are allowed onto the site during visiting hours, but are not allowed to pray there. Jews believe the biblical Jewish temples once stood in the Al-Aqsa compound, but because the site is considered too holy to tread on, Jewish law forbids Jews from entering the compound or praying there.

These actions have been carried by the occupation as a show of force and control, not only over important sites of worship, but also the Palestinian population. They are also attempts to Judaise the occupied old City of Jerusalem and important sites, seeking to transform them, to enhance their Jewish character.

This Judaisation is carried out through government policies and actions, and also measures such as increasing the Jewish population in historically Palestinian neighbourhoods, while decreasing Muslim presence through actions such as home demolitions, evictions or restrictions, and also changing Jerusalem’s historical or religious landmarks to emphasize Jewish history, at the expense of Muslim or Christian.

Featured images and video via the Canary