Hamas calls on Palestinians to mobilize against ‘Judaization’ of Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque

By Dilara Afifi and Ikram Kouachi

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Friday called on Palestinians to rally and mobilize against Israeli efforts to "Judaize the Ibrahimi Mosque" in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

In a statement, Hamas condemned Israel's refusal to open all areas of the Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslim worshipers, calling on the Palestinian people to “mobilize and protect the mosque.”

Hamas emphasized that the Israeli practices against the Mosque are "part of the occupation's plan to Judaize the mosque in all its details," noting that this was in response to promises made by the Israeli government to “satisfy right-wing extremists at the expense of Palestinian holy sites.”

The movement also reiterated that Israel's refusal to open the Mosque is "part of the Israeli occupation's broader plan to take full control of the mosque."

Hamas further stressed that these escalating Israeli measures against Islamic sanctities are a "blatant violation" of the mosque's status, representing a "serious and dangerous" infringement.

Earlier on Friday, the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs announced that Israel had refused to open all areas of the Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslim worshipers, as had been customary during Fridays in Ramadan.

The Ibrahimi Mosque is located in the Old City of Hebron, which is under Israeli occupation. It is home to around 400 illegal settlers guarded by approximately 1,500 Israeli soldiers.

In 1994, following a massacre by an illegal settler that killed 29 Palestinian worshipers, Israel divided the mosque, allocating 63% of its area to Jews, including the prayer room, and 37% to Muslims.

It is customary for the mosque to be fully opened to Muslims only 10 days a year, including Fridays during Ramadan.

Tension has been running high across the West Bank, where at least 930 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 7,000 others injured in attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers since the start of the Gaza war on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Health Ministry.

In July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, calling for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.