The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) denied Wednesday Palestinian worshipers’ entry to the Ibrahimi Mosque in the West Bank city of al-Khalil.
Director of the Endowment Department Ismail Abu Halawa told the PIC reporter that Israeli forces closed the Ibrahimi Mosque under the pretext of the Jewish Yom Kippur holiday.
Earlier on 3 4 and 6 October Israeli forces closed the Mosque before Palestinian worshipers under the same pretext he added.
He pointed out that Israeli authorities have notified the department that the mosque would be closed to non-Jews on Oct. 18 and 19.
Severe restrictions for Palestinians including being denied access to the Ibrahimi Mosque are typically implemented by the Israeli authorities during Jewish holidays for alleged security purposes.
The recent ban on Palestinian worshipers came as Israeli forces enforced a series of closures and heightened security operations throughout the occupied West Bank and occupied Jerusalem due to the start of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.
