Qais Abu Samra
20 May 2026•Update: 20 May 2026
The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs on Wednesday condemned the illumination of the walls of the Ibrahimi Mosque with the Israeli flag colors and Hebrew phrases.
In a statement, the ministry called it "a blatant assault" on the sanctity of the mosque located in the West Bank city of Hebron.
The mosque is “a purely Islamic endowment in which non-Muslims have no right,” it added.
“Israeli measures inside the mosque are invalid and illegal, and are a dangerous attempt to alter its historical features and impose a new Judaization reality by force of arms,” the ministry added.
It called on the international community and rights groups to urgently intervene to stop violations against Islamic holy sites.
It also urged Palestinians to “maintain a constant presence” at the mosque in order to preserve its Islamic and Arab identity.
Rights activist Aref Jaber told Anadolu on Tuesday evening that occupiers held an event near the mosque, illuminated its walls with blue lights to celebrate the "anniversary of the occupation of Hebron in 1967,” and played loud music that echoed through the mosque courtyard.
Israeli authorities prevented the call to prayer at the mosque 91 times in April alone, according to the ministry.
The Ibrahimi Mosque, located in Hebron’s Old City, has long been subject to tight restrictions and a division of access between Muslims and Jews, with Palestinians calling for preserving its historical and legal status.
Israel divided the site in 1994, allocating 63% for Jews and 37% for Muslims after an occupier attack killed 29 Palestinian worshippers.
Violence has escalated across the West Bank since October 2023, with at least 1,150 Palestinians killed, about 11,750 injured and nearly 22,000 detained.
In a landmark opinion in July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
*Writing by Lina Altawell in Istanbul
