The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) in al-Khalil City has recently launched a new Judaization project aimed at tightening the noose further around the Ibrahimi Mosque which has been exposed to repeated Israeli attempts to fully control it since the 1994 massacre.
The new project which will be carried out over an area of about 300 square meters of the Mosque’s yards and premises include building routes and installing an elevator for Jewish settlers. About two million shekels have been initially earmarked for the project.
On August 10 many local residents of al-Khalil City woke to the sound of heavy machinery working and digging at the Ibrahimi Mosque specifically in its western outer courtyards.
According to local sources this project threatens to pave the way for the IOA to lay its hands on historical property near the Ibrahimi Mosque and transfer al-Khalil City municipality’s jurisdiction over building and planning affairs to the Israeli army’s civil administration.
Last April an Israeli court rejected a Palestinian request calling for freezing the construction of an elevator at the Ibrahimi Mosque but another court session is scheduled to take place next November for a Palestinian appeal against the project.
In this regard director of the Ibrahimi Mosque Hafdi Abu Sneina has accused the IOA of exploiting the international silence to Judaize the Aqsa Mosque in its entirety and preventing the Muslim worshipers from entering it.
In press remarks to the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) Abu Sneina described the Ibrahimi Mosque as “an archeological site of special importance for the Muslims” and “the beating heart of al-Khalil City.”
“Every day the occupation pops up with a renewed attack on the Ibrahimi Mosque its courtyards and the Old City” he said.
The latest attack he said was the destruction of the Mosque’s yards using heavy machinery in order to build a path and an elevator and change the Islamic character of the holy site.
“Al-Khalil Awqaf Authority’s general administration monitors any violation that happens against the Mosque while the Awqaf Ministry works on contacting international official and human rights bodies especially the UNESCO which declared the Mosque an Islamic heritage site” he pointed out.
