ALBAWABA - In a recent development, the Israeli authorities have temporarily closed the Cave of the Patriarchs Mosque in Hebron, a city in the occupied West Bank, to Muslim worshippers.
This decision comes as Israel marks Jewish holidays, and the mosque has been opened exclusively for Jewish settlers during this period.
According to Gassan er-Recebi, an official from the mosque, it was shut down at 10:00 pm on the previous evening due to the ongoing Jewish holidays and will remain inaccessible to Muslims until 10:00 pm tonight.
Recebi further revealed that Israeli forces, including officials, have implemented these measures, restricting access to Muslim worshippers while allowing Jewish settlers to enter.
The Cave of the Patriarchs Mosque, located in Hebron, is highly significant in religious terms, being regarded as the fourth holiest mosque, following the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
The mosque's history in Hebron, a city under Israeli occupation since 1967, has been marked by a tragic event. It was closed after an attack by Baruch Goldstein, a Jewish extremist, on February 25, 1994, during the morning prayer. When it was eventually reopened, a substantial portion of the mosque was allocated for Jewish use.
Jewish festivities commenced with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, beginning yesterday evening. The upcoming religious holiday, Yom Kippur, is scheduled for September 24th, followed by the Sukkot (Tabernacles) holiday from September 29th to October 1st, and Simha Torah from October 6th to 8th.
It's worth noting that the Israel Broadcasting Corporation KAN had previously announced the closure of entrances and exits to the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip from the afternoon of September 15th until Sunday due to Rosh Hashanah.
