RAMALLAH, February 17, 2011 (WAFA) – A group of Palestinian and international activists Thursday called for action on February 25, the anniversary of the Ibrahimi mosque massacre, to force the Israeli army to reopen Shuhada street in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

Organizers of the activity, including the Hebron-based Youth Against Settlements, called on people to gather after the Friday prayer on February 25 in three different mosques in Hebron to march toward Shuhada street in the old city of Hebron under the slogan: Shuhada street must be reopened for Palestinians.

Israel closed Shuhada street to Palestinian commuters after an Israeli settler shot and killed over 30 Palestinians in the Ibrahimi mosque on February 25, 1994 while holding dawn prayer. Instead of punishing the settlers for the massacre, Israel punished the victims by closing the streets and most of the old city of Hebron in their face while allowing the Israeli settlers freedom to use them without obstructions.

The army eventually allowed some shops to open but the majority remained closed as a result of settler and army harassment of local residents.

The campaign, the second annual, called on solidarity groups to hold an Open Shuhada Street protests around the world to put pressure on the Israeli army to reopen it. Last year, about 25 cities around the world joined in this activity to raise awareness about the street and Hebron in general.

The closure of the street has forced Palestinians who live inside the Israeli-controlled enclave of Hebron, named in the Oslo papers as H2, to make long detours to reach their homes or businesses.

About 400 hardcore Israeli settlers live inside the old city of Hebron among more than 40,000 Palestinians. The rest of the city of Hebron, named H1, is under full Palestinian control and no settlers live there.

M.A.