Tensions have flared once again in the West Bank city of Hebron following a controversial display at one of the region's most sensitive holy sites. On Wednesday, the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs issued a fierce condemnation after the historic Ibrahimi Mosque's walls were illuminated with the colors of the Israeli flag and Hebrew phrases.

The ministry slammed the display as a "blatant assault" on the sanctity of the complex, which it maintains is a purely Islamic endowment. Local rights activists reported that the illumination took place during an event held near the mosque to mark the anniversary of the 1967 capture of Hebron, accompanied by loud music that echoed through the complex's courtyards, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

Palestinian officials expressed deep concern that these latest actions represent a calculated effort to alter the historical and legal status of the site. The ministry also revealed that Israeli authorities prevented the traditional Muslim call to prayer at the mosque 91 times during the month of April alone.

The Ibrahimi Mosque—known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs—holds immense religious significance for both Muslims and Jews as the burial site of Abraham. It has been a severe flashpoint for decades, leading to a strict physical division of the site in 1994, which allocated 63% of the complex to Jewish worshippers and 37% to Muslim worshippers.

The latest dispute comes amid a broader, highly volatile backdrop in the West Bank, where violence has dramatically escalated since October 2023. According to local tracking data, the ongoing friction has resulted in significant casualties and thousands of detentions across the territory.

With local officials calling on international rights organizations to intervene, the incident highlights the fragile coexistence at the region's shared religious sites, where even symbolic changes can rapidly ignite deep-seated political and cultural anxieties.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada