Both the director and the custodian of the Ibrahimi Mosque, a holy site otherwise known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, were issued notices banning them from the mosque’s premises for 15 days, the officials involved and Palestinian ministries reported.
Sheikh Mu’taz Abu Sneineh, the mosque’s director, was reportedly summoned to a police station in Telem, where a warning was issued against him and Hammam Abu Murkhiya, the site’s custodian.
The pair is reportedly now forbidden to enter or pray in the mosque and/or its surrounding courtyards for 15 days.
“This decision comes within the context of the occupation’s practices aimed at emptying the Ibrahimi Mosque and the Old City of Hebron of its Palestinian residents,” the WAFA news agency said.
Condemning the temporary measure, the Palestinian Religious Endowments and Affairs Ministry said that this was part of “an attempt to reduce their role in the administration and supervision of [the mosque’s] religious and administrative affairs.”
“This is a dangerous... measure that aims to empty the Abrahamic mosque of its official references and impose a new reality that negatively reflects the freedom of worship and the flow of work inside the holy mosque,” the ministry continued.
Ongoing fight over canopy at holy site
The alleged ban comes as Israeli and Palestinian officials have fought over the construction of a canopy above the Jewish section of the site.
Until now, the UNESCO heritage site has been managed mainly by a Waqf, an Islamic charitable trust. However, in July, the government transferred partial authority over the site to the Kiryat Arba-Hebron Religious Council.
The Hebron Municipality and Israeli authorities have previously clashed after Israel pushed to have an elevator installed at the site to improve accessibility.