'Grave escalation': Israel strips Hebron municipality of authority over Ibrahimi Mosque
Palestinian officials say Israel's move violates international law and threatens the historic and legal status of one of Islam’s holiest sites.
Israel has decided to remove Hebron Municipality’s authority over the Ibrahimi Mosque, transferring planning and construction powers to Israeli bodies, a move Palestinians say deepens Israel’s control over the occupied West Bank city and risks permanently altering the status of the historic site.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned on Thursday the decision as a “grave escalation,” warning it represents a direct violation of the legal and historical status quo at the Ibrahimi Mosque.
The Ibrahimi Mosque is considered a holy site by Muslims, Jews and Christians alike as the birthplace of Prophet Abraham.
According to WAFA news agency, the ministry said Israel’s revocation of municipal and Islamic Waqf jurisdiction is part of a broader effort to impose unilateral control over the compound.
Palestinian officials also denounced Israel’s immediate approval of a project to construct a ceiling over the mosque’s courtyard, calling it an unlawful act that contravenes international law, UN resolutions, and Israel’s obligations as an occupying power.
The ministry stressed that the move has nothing to do with regulation or development, but rather reflects a deliberate attempt to entrench occupation and forcibly change the character of the Ibrahimi Mosque. It warned that such actions threaten one of Palestine’s most significant religious and cultural landmarks.
Tightened control
Recalling a 2017 UNESCO decision that listed Hebron’s Old City and the Ibrahimi Mosque as a World Heritage Site in Danger under the name of the State of Palestine, the ministry said international law affirms Palestinian sovereignty over the site and protects it from unilateral Israeli measures.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry described Israel’s decision as legally and historically invalid, pledging to pursue diplomatic and legal action with international institutions to safeguard the mosque and defend Palestinian rights and heritage.
Israel divided the mosque in 1994, allocating 63 percent for Jewish worship and 37 percent for Muslims, after an illegal settler massacre killed 29 Palestinian worshippers. The section designated for Jewish worship includes the Muslim call-to-prayer room.
Under unilateral Israeli arrangements, the mosque is fully closed to Muslims 10 days a year for Jewish religious holidays and fully closed to Jews on 10 Islamic occasions. However, Israel has not honoured full access for Muslims during their holidays since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.