HEBRON, February 4, 2017 (WAFA) – Palestinian police and security forces closed on Saturday the vicinity of the Russian compound (al-Maskobiya) church in Hebron, in the south of the West Bank, and declared it a closed military area after a fundamentalist Islamic group had vowed to demonstrate in the area, according to security sources.

Al-Tahrir Party has called for the demonstration at the church site claiming that the property is an endowment of the Tamimi family in Hebron and therefore it should not be turned over by the Palestinian Authority to the Russian church.

“The insistence of some members of al-Tahrir party to hold an illegal gathering in defiance of the decisions to Al-Tamimi family, political forces and representatives of clans and families in the city endangers public security and creates sectarian strife,” said the security source.

“No one has applied, as required by law, for a gathering or any protest activity near al-Maskobiya church, which was built over 100 years ago,” added the source, stressing that security forces will not allow anyone to endanger the personal security of citizens and that they will preserve public security.

Police stopped bulldozers that were heading to the site and detained the drivers, said the security source.

Nationalist forces and clans in Hebron called Friday night on al-Tahrir party to cancel its protest activity at the church because, they said, it will be considered incitement and could cause sectarian strife.

 K.T./M.K.