Settlers in provocative flag move in Ibrahimi Mosque

A number of Jewish settlers, on Thursday, hoisted the Israeli flag atop the Ibrahimi Mosque in the southern West Bank city of al-Khalil, something which has not been done since the occupation of the city in 1967.

The director of Awkaf in al-Khalil, Zeid al-Ja’bari said that a group of settlers climbed on the mosque and raised the flag under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces.

Ja'bari said that what happened is "an aggression on the sanctity of the Ibrahimi Mosque and its historic and religious place in the hearts of Muslims. The occupation has not done this since occupying the city of al-Khalil. This aggression provokes the Muslim feelings, as this is a dangerous provocative act that we were surprised with today. The occupation must remove its flags from above our mosques as this is a provocation to all Muslims around the world."

The Israeli occupation government decided, two years ago, to place the Ibrahimi Mosque on the list of “Jewish heritage”, an act which coincided with an increase in attacks on the Mosque and Muslim worshipers. The Athan (Muslim call for prayer) was banned 50 times last March.