Israel cuts parts of stairs of Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron

Israeli occupation authorities yesterday began taking down parts of the stairs of the Ibrahimi Mosque in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, Arab48 reported.

The Palestinian endowment minister said this comes in preparation for installing an elevator to serve the Jewish settlers who raid the Islamic site.

Head of Hebron Municipality, Tayseer Abu Sneeneh, called on the international community to “immediately” move to stop the Israeli aggression along with many other violations committed by the occupation forces and settlers.

Abu Sneeneh said that installing the electric elevator is part of the Israeli practices which target the Islamic sites, noting that “this is a flagrant violation against the Palestinian rights and responsibilities.”

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“This measure come as part of the Israeli efforts to change the identity of the Ibrahimi Mosque,” he said.

Israel plans to seize the Ibrahimi Mosque in efforts which contravene international laws. In 2017, UNESCO included the Ibrahimi Mosque and the Old City of Hebron as a Palestinian heritage site.

Jews believe the site to be the burial place of the biblical patriarch Joseph. Muslims, however, challenge this claim, saying a Muslim Imam – Sheikh Yussef Dawiqat – was buried at the site two centuries ago.

Last month, Israeli occupation authorities closed the Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslim worshippers for two days to hold a concert on the occasion of the Jewish Passover holiday.