OIC Condemns Israeli President’s Storming of Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron al-Khalil
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has denounced the recent storming of Ibrahimi Mosque, in Hebron nal-Khalil, by the Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, describing it as part of plans to Judaize and take over control of the city.
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The OIC has condemned the storming of the Ibrahimi Mosque as a provocation of Muslims’ sensibilities.
It has also called the move a continuation of Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people’s rights, land and holy sites.
The major Islamic body has also called on the international community to act urgently to protect those holy and historical sites, and to compel the Israeli occupation authorities to respect the sacredness of the holy sites, implement relevant UN resolutions, and provide protection for the Palestinian people’s land and holy sites.
Isaac Herzog, entered the Mosque accompanied by a crowd of settlers. Prior to his arrival, Israeli forces expelled all Palestinian worshippers from the site, closed the gates of the Mosque and forcibly prevented anyone from praying or even standing nearby.
Palestinian media reports say Israeli forces physically assaulted Palestinian activists who came to protest the arrival of Herzog (social media footage backed up the reports) shop owners were forced to shut down while the work of journalists and other press crew was hindered; again, Israeli forces assaulted a number of reporters and other media crew members. Israeli occupation forces expanded already strict restrictions on the movement of Palestinians living near the Ibrahimi Mosque and closed all outlets leading to the site.
The mosque’s director, Sheikh Hafthi Abu Sneineh, has said that the Israeli army only allowed Israeli settlers to visit the Mosque and its vicinity for a Jewish occasion, banning the entry of any Muslim worshippers to the Mosque or accessing its courtyards.
In September, the Ibrahimi Mosque was closed by Israeli authorities during the Jewish New Year, a move that was strongly condemned by Palestinian officials, who said the measure was a blatant attack on the most basic human rights. In 2017, the Old City of al-Khalil, where the Ibrahimi Mosque is located, was deemed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
