HEBRON, July 16, 2025 (WAFA) - Palestinian ministries and official institutions have strongly condemned reports in Israeli media about the Israeli authorities' intentions to transfer administrative powers over the Ibrahimi Mosque from the Islamic Waqf and the Palestinian-run Hebron Municipality to a so-called “settler administrative council.”
The condemnation came during an official joint meeting held on Wednesday at the Hebron Governorate headquarters, led by Governor Khaled Dudin. The meeting included Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs Mohammad Mustafa Najm, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Hani Al-Hayek, Minister of Culture and Head of the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee Emad Hamdan, and the Committee’s General Manager Mohannad Aljabari.
They expressed their unequivocal rejection of this dangerous move, describing it as a new precedent in the ongoing Judaization of the Ibrahimi Mosque—a continuation of systematic violations and attacks targeting the mosque and the religious and historical landmarks in Hebron’s Old City.
These violations, they noted, have significantly intensified since the 1994 Ibrahimi Mosque massacre and now include the seizure of parts of the mosque for settler use, bans on the Muslim call to prayer, severe restrictions on Muslim worshippers, obstruction of restoration efforts, and repeated assaults on Waqf employees and local residents.
The participating ministries and institutions firmly rejected the reported plan, calling it a flagrant violation of international law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits occupying powers from making administrative or legal changes in occupied territories. They warned that the move represents an attempt to impose a new reality and normalize settler colonial control in the heart of Hebron.
They reaffirmed that the Ibrahimi Mosque is a purely Islamic endowment and a global religious heritage site, warning that any interference or transfer of authority would have serious consequences.
The officials categorically rejected any change to the status quo at the mosque or any transfer of its administration away from the legitimate Palestinian authorities.
They also emphasized full Palestinian sovereignty over the Ibrahimi Mosque, which is officially managed by the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf. They further called on UNESCO and international bodies to urgently intervene to protect the mosque, which is recognized as a World Heritage Site under threat.
They also urged Arab and Islamic nations, as well as international religious and human rights institutions, to take responsibility and confront these dangerous plans.
The officials warned that this move may serve as a precedent to apply similar settler control models to other religious and heritage sites, constituting a severe breach of international conventions and norms.
They stressed that the Ibrahimi Mosque will remain a purely Islamic and human heritage site and an enduring symbol of Palestinian identity.
They firmly asserted that it will not be part of the occupation’s colonial schemes, stressing that efforts will persist at all legal, diplomatic, and popular levels to protect and defend it.
T.R.
