AL-KHALIL, (PIC)
Israeli occupation forces continue to impose strict restrictions on Palestinian citizens in the Old City of Al-Khalil, with escalating violations against the Ibrahimi Mosque in an attempt to control and Judaize it.
Despite the influx of thousands of worshipers to the mosque during the blessed month of Ramadan, the occupation persists in imposing significant obstacles and difficulties that prevent them from accessing it freely, increasing tensions in the area.
The director of the Ibrahimi Mosque, Mu’taz Abu Isnineh, confirmed that the occupation insists on not handing over the mosque to the Islamic Waqf Administration on Fridays and in Ramadan, as has been agreed upon following the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre. He added that the mosque should be fully open to worshipers on Fridays and during Ramadan, but the occupation prevents the handover of the eastern gate area and continues its attempts to impose control over the site.
Abu Isnineh explained that the current number of worshipers in the mosque is noticeably lower compared to previous years, as the number of worshipers today, Friday, during the Fajr prayer did not exceed 200 people, whereas it used to reach 3,000 on the same day of Ramadan in previous years.
Field obstacles and occupation checkpoints
For her part, Umm Abdullah, a resident from the southern area of Al-Khalil, pointed out the difficulty of reaching the mosque due to military checkpoints. She stated that the occupation completely closed the Abu Rish checkpoint this year, making it difficult to pass through other checkpoints, which increases travel time to the mosque, sometimes taking up to four hours.
Ongoing threats from settlers
In addition to the military measures of the occupation, settlers continue to attack citizens and their properties in the area surrounding the Ibrahimi Mosque.
The head of the mosque reconstruction committee, Imad Hamdan, spoke about the Ministry of Culture’s plans to enhance the resilience of citizens in the Old City and encourage them to visit the mosque through cultural and religious activities, despite the obstacles imposed by the occupation.
Hamdan clarified that the occupation seeks to further isolate the Ibrahimi Mosque through military checkpoints and electronic gates, significantly hindering access to it.
Calls for mobilization and presence at the mosque
In this context, Haroun Nasr al-Din, a member of the political bureau and head of the Jerusalem office of Hamas, called on the Palestinian people in the West Bank, especially in Al-Khalil, to mobilize and make their presence felt to protect the Ibrahimi Mosque.
Nasr al-Din stated that the continued refusal of the occupation to hand over the mosque to the Islamic Waqf Administration, especially on Fridays and during Ramadan, is part of its plans for complete control over the site.
The Hamas official emphasized that the Ibrahimi Mosque is a trust in everyone’s hands, calling for the necessity of mobilization and presence to protect the mosque from Judaization attempts that threaten its sanctity.
