Israel takes control of Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque: What this means

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced that Israel will take control of planning and construction powers in the Ibrahimi Mosque area, located in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron. The move is part of a broader effort to assert Israeli sovereignty over the territory.

According to Smotrich, the 1997 Hebron Agreement, which established the current division between Palestinian and Israeli control, has been effectively cancelled. The agreement had granted the Palestinian municipal council control over planning, zoning, and construction in the H2 zone of the West Bank city.

The Ibrahimi Mosque is a site of significant importance to all three Abrahamic faiths, with Jews and Christians referring to it as the Tomb or Cave of the Patriarchs, while Muslims call it the Sanctuary of Abraham. The mosque was built in the 14th century by Muslim worshippers.

Smotrich’s decision comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet approved steps earlier this year to make it easier for settlers to buy land in the West Bank and give Israeli authorities more enforcement powers in the territory.

The Ibrahimi Mosque falls under the H2 zone, which is controlled by Israel. However, the 1997 Hebron Agreement stipulated that the Palestinian Authority would oversee planning and construction for the entire city, including the mosque.

Hebron’s Old City is recognized as a Palestinian World Heritage site by UNESCO. The area is home to hundreds of Jewish settlers living among tens of thousands of Palestinians. Israeli settlers have been present in Hebron since 1968, and their numbers have grown significantly over the years.

The move has been described by observers as “dangerous” due to its potential impact on the fragile balance of power in Hebron. Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, stated that any changes to the existing arrangements in Hebron could intensify the Israeli occupation and have severe consequences.

Source: Al Jazeera