Hebron: The Supreme Court of Israel has dismissed an appeal filed by the Hebron Municipality, the Hebron Endowments Department, the Old City Rehabilitation Committee, and the Department of Tourism and Antiquities against an expropriation order targeting the roof of the inner courtyard of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. The order involves the confiscation of 288 square meters of the mosque's designated roof area.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency, the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs condemned the court's decision, asserting that it sanctions the appropriation of the mosque's airspace under a project referred to as the 'roofing project of the inner courtyard.' This move is viewed as a violation of the mosque's religious, historical, and legal status.
The ministry emphasized that the Ibrahimi Mosque, including its courtyards, halls, and airspace, is an Islamic endowment exclusively for Muslims, with no jurisdiction of the occupying forces. The administrative, legal, and planning authority lies with the Awqaf and the Hebron Municipality in accordance with international law.
Expressing strong opposition to the military seizure order, the Ministry of Awqaf criticized measures that strip planning and building authority from the Hebron Municipality in favor of the Israeli sub-planning and licensing committee. The ministry warned of potential damage to archaeological remains, highlighting the risks of replacing temporary coverings with permanent structures, which could alter the site's historical character, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The ministry rejected Israeli assertions that the project would preserve the structure's visual integrity, alleging that these claims aim to erase the Islamic and Arab identity of Hebron. It criticized the judicial process and the dismissal of objections from Awqaf experts, suggesting that the judicial system serves extremist ministers' interests to transfer authority over the mosque to Israeli entities.
The ministry called on Palestinians to increase their presence at the Ibrahimi Mosque as a form of resistance, urging UNESCO and the international community to intervene to protect global religious and human heritage.
The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission noted that Israeli authorities have progressively escalated actions targeting religious sites. This includes transferring powers over the Ibrahimi Mosque from the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf to Israeli authorities, and a subsequent decision granting supervisory powers to the religious council of the Kiryat Arba settlement to manage parts of the mosque.
The commission added that these measures, which transfer supervisory powers to settlement-linked bodies, aim to undermine Islamic religious authority, legitimize colonists' intervention, and isolate the mosque from its Palestinian context. It emphasized that these policies violate international humanitarian law and UNESCO resolutions, describing them as a colonial crime.