Occupation forces escalate repressive measures, abuse Palestinians in Hebron’s old city

HEBRON: Israeli occupation forces Wednesday escalated their repressive measures against Palestinians, abusing a number of them and imposing a curfew on several neighbourhoods in the old city of Hebron, according to a local activist. Aref Jaber told WAFA that the occupation forces imposed a 24-hour curfew in the neighbourhoods of Jaber, As-Salaymeh, and Wadi al-Hussein, east of the Ibrahimi Mosque, while informing Palestinians that the curfew would continue until the end of Jewish holidays on next Sunday. The occupation forces abused a number of young men, searching and assaulting them, and holding for long hours. Over two months ago, the occupation forces completely isolated the three neighbourhoods from the rest of the southern part of the city of Hebron, sealing off their entrances and exits with barbed wire. More than 750 Palestinian families in the old city of Hebron are living in harsh and difficult living conditions, due to a series of escalating repressive and racist measures imposed by the Israeli occupation forces, in addition to the ongoing attacks by colonists. Since October 7, 2023, approximately 11 neighbourhoods in the old city have been subjected to an evening curfew, whereby Palestinians are prevented from leaving their homes and subjected to daily abuses at the hands of occupation soldiers and armed colonists. Twenty-two years ago, Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein broke into the Ibrahimi Mosque and opened fire at Palestinian Muslim worshippers, killing 29. Four Palestinians were killed on the same day in the clashes that broke out around the Mosque in response to the massacre. In the aftermath, the mosque, known to Jews as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, was divided in two, with the larger part turned into a synagogue while heavy scrutiny was imposed on the Palestinians and areas closed completely to them, including an important market and the main street, Shuhada Street. The city of Hebron, which houses the Ibrahimi Mosque, is home to roughly 160,000 Palestinians and about 800 notoriously agg ressive Israeli colonists who live in compounds heavily guarded by Israeli troops. Israel has expelled the only international monitors protecting Hebron's Palestinians from 800 heavily guarded colonists, one of whom committed the 1994 massacre that triggered their deployment. Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA