Israeli Forces Attack Palestinian Mosque in Al-Khalil’s Old City

Israeli occupation forces attacked the Al-Shibli Mosque in the historic town of Hebron, located in the southern West Bank, destroying some of its contents on Saturday, August 26, 2023.

Nidal Al-Ja’bari, the Director-General of Hebron Endowments, said that occupation forces attacked Al-Shibli Mosque on Saturday evening, invading it and smashing the glass of shrines and structures inside the mosque.

Al-Ja’bari explained that a group of occupation soldiers stormed Al-Shibli Mosque while chasing Palestinian children in the alleys of Hebron’s old city before carrying out the assault.

He considered this attack a “case of complicity” with the repeated settler assaults on sanctuaries and mosques in the old city of Hebron.

The Palestinian official drew attention to the escalating frequency of assaults on mosques and religious sites, which he deemed to be part of the “policy of religious and racial cleansing” pursued by the occupation and its settlers.

The historical date of the establishment of Al-Shibli Corner traces back to the Ottoman period in the year 1260 AH / 1844 CE.

In 2003, the Hebron Reconstruction Committee undertook its restoration, financed by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development and through cooperative efforts.

The site, spanning an area of 240 square meters, includes a chamber topped by a dome known as the shrine of Sheikh Al-Shibli.

Residents believe it contains his tomb. Additionally, another chamber is said to house the tomb of his disciple Al-Tar’ani. Between the two chambers lies a mosque with a dome where prayers are performed.

Al-Ibrahimi Mosque

Among these sites is the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque, also in Hebron, which has witnessed several instances of intrusion and restriction of access.

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, it has been reported that Israeli forces launched attacks on around 15 mosques across the occupied West Bank in the year 2022 alone.

Settlers currently control 60% of the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque. Israeli forces routinely prevent Adhan (the call to prayer) in the mosque.

Such incident is a part of a larger campaign wherein Palestinian mosques and holy sites have become subjects of ongoing aggression by Israeli forces.

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