Israeli military authorities have imposed restrictions on Palestinian movement throughout several neighborhoods in the Old City of Hebron while barring Muslim worshippers from accessing the Ibrahimi Mosque to accommodate celebrations by illegal settlers marking a Jewish religious observance. Aref Jaber, a local activist and resident affiliated with the Hebron Defense Committee, reported that military checkpoints blocking entrances to the historic district prevented residents from reaching their homes, forcing them to seek accommodation with family members in other parts of the city.
Hundreds of settlers entered the area under armed military protection during processions that Palestinian observers characterized as provocative demonstrations connected to an annual event promoting claims of historical Jewish ties to Hebron. The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments noted that authorities have maintained closures of mosque entrances, including blocking windows at one gate, since the beginning of the year.
The religious site, which Israeli forces partitioned following a 1994 attack that killed 29 Palestinian worshippers, remains divided between faiths under arrangements that officially designate specific closure periods for each community, though full Muslim access during Islamic holidays has been suspended since the Gaza conflict began.
Hundreds of settlers entered the area under armed military protection during processions that Palestinian observers characterized as provocative demonstrations connected to an annual event promoting claims of historical Jewish ties to Hebron. The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments noted that authorities have maintained closures of mosque entrances, including blocking windows at one gate, since the beginning of the year.
The religious site, which Israeli forces partitioned following a 1994 attack that killed 29 Palestinian worshippers, remains divided between faiths under arrangements that officially designate specific closure periods for each community, though full Muslim access during Islamic holidays has been suspended since the Gaza conflict began.
