Israeli Conspiracies to Gain Full Control Over the Ibrahimi Mosque

The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas warned on Friday of Israeli “conspiracies” to gain complete control over the Ibrahimi Mosque in the city of Hebron, located in the southern West Bank, and to threaten its sanctity. Hamas also called for mobilization and action to confront the Israeli plans to judaize the mosque.

Haroun Nasser al-Din, a member of the political bureau and head of the Jerusalem office of the movement, urged the Palestinian people, particularly in the West Bank and Hebron, to mobilize and stand guard to protect the Ibrahimi Mosque in light of the ongoing conspiracies and judaization operations threatening its holiness.

In a statement sent to Arabi21, Nasser al-Din highlighted that Israeli practices against the Ibrahimi Mosque are part of the occupation’s broader schemes to judaize the mosque in all its details, in line with the commitments of the Israeli government to the far-right, aiming to please them at the expense of Palestinian sanctities.

The statement emphasized that the Israeli refusal to open the Ibrahimi Mosque and hand it over to the Islamic Waqf administration during Ramadan, especially on Fridays, is part of Israel’s ongoing efforts to take full control of the mosque.

The statement further asserted that the continuous and escalating Israeli actions against Islamic sanctities are an outrageous violation of the status of the Ibrahimi Mosque and a blatant and dangerous infringement on its sacredness.

Earlier, the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf stated that the Israeli occupation refused to open all areas of the Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslim worshippers, as was customary on Fridays during Ramadan.

The ministry explained that the traditional handover of the mosque would take place on “Friday night during Ramadan” each year to “prepare for its full opening to Muslim worshippers.”

It noted that Fridays during Ramadan are among the “ten days of the year” when the entire Ibrahimi Mosque is opened to Muslim worshippers.

The Ibrahimi Mosque is located in the Old City of Hebron, which is under Israeli occupation, and is home to about 400 settlers, guarded by around 1,500 Israeli soldiers.

In 1994, Israeli forces divided the mosque, with 63% of its area allocated to Jews, including the prayer room, and 37% designated for Muslims, following a massacre carried out by a settler that resulted in the martyrdom of 29 Palestinian worshippers.

It is customary for the mosque to be fully opened to Muslims only on 10 days each year: Fridays during Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr, the two Eid holidays, the Night of Isra and Mi’raj, the Prophet’s Birthday, and the Islamic New Year.