Israel closes Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque to Muslim worshippers to mark Passover

The Israeli occupation army closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron to Muslim worshippers today to allow illegal settlers to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover, a Palestinian official said.

“The mosque will remain closed for two days due to Passover celebrations,” Mosque Director Akram Al-Tamimi told Anadolu.

Al-Tamimi said this meant that Palestinian worshippers were banned from approaching the site for two days amid tight security conditions.

“The Israeli army, however, opened all sections of the mosque to illegal settlers,” he added.

Passover, which commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt during the time of Prophet Moses, is considered one of the most important holidays on the Jewish religious calendar.

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

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

READ: Hundreds of Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque to mark Passover