HEBRON, January 14, 2018 (WAFA) – The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs reiterated on Sunday the need to enable the ministry to freely undertake maintenance works at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and avoid any alterations in the holy site by Israel.    

The ministry condemned Israeli plans, which included the construction of a roof over the open area of the mosque, which Israel said was to prevent flooding of rainwater into the mosque.  

Khalid Zawawi, a media officer at the ministry, said the construction of the new roof will make new space for Israeli settlers who come to pray to the Mosque, which was divided by Israel into a mosque and a synagogue after an Israeli settler gunned down 29 Palestinians and injured a hundred others.

Zawawi told WAFA that if built, the roof would obstruct ventilation, denying claims that rainwater flooding into the mosque is the reason for the addition of this roof.

The ministry said if Israel allowed the Awqaf to continue to do its maintaince work in the mosque, the alleged flooding problem can be fixed without closing the mosque.

However, it said Israel continues to ban maintenance works at the mosque by the Islamic Awqaf.

The ministry described the recent Israeli changes as a “harmful act and a violation” of this religious and historic site, reaffirming that the Awqaf remains the only body that has the right to perform maintenance works at the site.

M.N./M.H.