Israel closes Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque to Palestinians for Jewish holiday

What the report says

Israeli forces have closed Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque in the occupied West Bank to Palestinian worshippers while thousands of Israeli settlers and visitors gather for a Jewish religious observance, according to Al Jazeera. The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments said access was blocked for worshippers and mosque staff, and the call to prayer was suspended. Mosque director Moataz Abu Sneineh said Israeli authorities intended to open the prayer areas and courtyards only to Israelis.

The closure began on Friday afternoon and was set to continue until Saturday night. It comes during an annual observance linked to Sarah, the wife of Prophet Abraham, who is traditionally believed to be buried at the site. Al Jazeera reported that Israeli troops also tightened checkpoints and restricted movement in Hebron’s Old City, affecting residents’ ability to move in and out of their homes. Israeli forces told The Jerusalem Post they expected about 20,000 visitors and had deployed hundreds of security personnel.

The mosque, known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs, is a focal point of long-running Israeli-Palestinian tensions over religious access and control in Hebron. Under the 1997 Hebron Agreement, Israel controls security in the Old City while the Palestinian municipality has planning powers. Al Jazeera noted that recent Israeli decisions, including a June announcement by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich affecting those powers, have increased Palestinian fears of a broader effort to expand exclusive Israeli control over the site.