HEBRON, Thursday, May 4, 2023 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation forces ordered today the evacuation of the Old Municipality building in the Old City of Hebron, south of the occupied West Bank, in preparation for its handover to Israeli settlers, according to local sources.

WAFA correspondent said the Israeli occupation army posted notices on the main gate of the building demanding that the building be evacuated in preparation for its takeover by extremist Israeli settler groups. The building consists of two floors with 205 square meters each.

The mayor of Hebron, Tayseer Abu Sneineh, told WAFA that the Israeli order is a blatant assault on the Hebron Municipality's property, stressing that this building is completely owned by the municipality, and that the latter has all the legal and official documents proving their ownership of the building.

Abu Sneineh added that the legal staff of the municipality will take all the legal measures necessary to protect its property and to stand up to this Israeli aggression.

He called on the international community, human rights institutions and UNESCO to press the Israeli government to stop its illegal actions, and to immediately intervene to protect Hebron’s cultural heritage, especially since the region is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

M.N