Al-Khalil – Ma’an – In a precedent described as dangerous, the Israeli occupation authorities decided to close the Ibrahimi Mosque for four days, starting today until next Saturday, and prevent worshipers, Palestinians and visitors from reaching it, and will allow settlers to desecrate it.

The occupation army closed the road leading to the sanctuary from the market side, in addition to closing other checkpoints surrounding the sanctuary, thus depriving citizens of freedom of movement and travel in that area.

Director General of Hebron Endowments, Ghassan Al-Rajabi, said: ‘Closing the Ibrahimi Mosque in this way is a dangerous precedent.’

Al-Rajabi added: ‘Despite our not recognizing the recommendations of the occupation’s ‘Shamgar’ committee, the occupation authorities violated and continue to violate the recommendations of that committee, by deciding to close the Ibrahimi Mosque, a purely Islamic mosque, for four consecutive days and preventing worshipers and endowment employees from reaching it.’

The S
hamgar Committee was formed following the horrific Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, in which 29 worshippers were killed during dawn prayers and more than 150 were injured, and which was committed by a settler on February 25, 1994.

This committee decided to divide the Ibrahimi Mosque in terms of time and place, and allowed the settlers to build a synagogue inside the mosque after dividing it. It also decided to allow the settlers to violate the mosque for 10 days a year to celebrate their holidays.

Source: Maan News Agency