In brief
Israeli forces closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron to Palestinians on the eve of a Jewish holiday, giving settlers sole access. The move follows a 10‑day siege that displaced thousands and comes amid reports that Israel might seek exclusive control of the shrine. Al Jazeera confirmed the closure, the expected crowd size, and the broader context of security tightening.
On Friday afternoon, Israeli forces closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, the historic site that houses the Cave of the Patriarchs, to Palestinian worshippers while allowing Israeli settlers to use the premises for a Jewish religious observance. The closure, set to last until 10 p.m. on Saturday, was described by Al Jazeera as part of a wider strategy to assert Israeli control over the contested holy place, inflaming tensions with the Palestinian community.
The mosque’s director, Moataz Abu Sneineh, said Israeli authorities intended to open the prayer halls and courtyards exclusively to Israelis, keeping Palestinian worshippers and employees barred from entry and suspending the call to prayer. Palestinian officials reported that checkpoints were tightened and movement in the Old City was restricted, leaving some residents unable to enter or leave their homes.
Israeli troops told The Jerusalem Post that they expected about 20 000 visitors at the site for the holiday, deploying hundreds of security personnel to manage the influx. This figure, reported only by The Jerusalem Post, illustrates the scale of the event and the security efforts surrounding it.
The move comes just days after Israeli forces ended a 10‑day siege of Hebron that resulted in hundreds of arrests, 15 home demolitions, and the displacement of more than 3 300 Palestinians. Al Jazeera noted that the closure follows a broader context in which Israeli policy is perceived to aim at consolidating control over the shrine.
Under the 1997 Hebron Agreement, Israel holds security control of the Old City while the Palestinian municipality retains planning and construction powers. In June, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced a takeover of those powers, a development highlighted by Al Jazeera as undermining Palestinian oversight of the holy site and raising fears that Israel is preparing to seize the site for exclusive Jewish use.
