Israeli occupation closes the Ibrahimi Mosque and expels its staff

The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf condemned, in a press statement, the closure of the mosque and the expulsion of its staff, considering it a violation of the sanctity of Islamic holy sites and the freedom of worship guaranteed by international charters and laws.

The ministry said that closing the mosque, preventing prayer in it, and expelling its staff comes in the context of a policy of Judaization and restrictions aimed at imposing full control over it, dividing it temporally and spatially, and depriving it of its legitimate Islamic administration.

It affirmed that the Ibrahimi Mosque, with all its corridors and courtyards, is a purely Islamic endowment, and that the measures and plans targeting it, its staff, and its custodians will not change its Islamic and historical identity.

The ministry warned of the repercussions of repeated violations and assaults on religious staff and holy sites, calling on the international community and human rights and humanitarian institutions, led by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to assume their responsibilities and intervene urgently to pressure the occupation authorities to lift their hand from Islamic holy sites and stop measures that offend the feelings of Muslims.