Israel closes Ibrahimi Mosque to Palestinians on first day of Ramadan
Israeli forces prevented Palestinian worshippers from performing prayers at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron on Wednesday, the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, witnesses reported. The closure of the flashpoint West Bank site represents a significant escalation of access restrictions during Ramadan.
The Ibrahimi Mosque, revered by both Muslims and Jews who refer to it as the Cave of the Patriarchs, has long been a focal point of tensions in Hebron. Palestinians regularly face severe access limitations, with the site partially divided and subject to Israeli military control. Wednesday's closure coincides with heightened Israeli security measures across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank for Ramadan, including age-restricted permits for Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler activity.
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Ramadan Under Occupation
The first day of Ramadan began Wednesday amid intensified Israeli operations across the West Bank since the Gaza war erupted Oct. 8, 2023. Palestinians view the escalating restrictions on worship, alongside killings, arrests, displacement, and settlement expansion, as part of systematic efforts to consolidate occupation and preclude a future Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation illegal in July 2024.
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