Zionist Plan at Ibrahimi Mosque Aims to Provoke Muslims’ Feelings
Isaac Herzog, head of the Israeli regime, is set to take part in a candle-lighting ceremony at the mosque on the occasion of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
Speaking to Quds Radio, Sheikh Abu Asnina strongly slammed the planned visit, noting that what the regime is doing against Islamic sanctities, especially against Al-Aqsa Mosque and Ibrahimi Mosque, is not surprising.
“Lighting candles by the head of the occupying regime is a clear violation of the mosque’s sanctity and a provocation of Muslims’ feelings,” he said.
The regime aims to enforce its domination over the holy site and pave the ground for taking next steps by Zionist settlers, he said. “Ibrahimi Mosque is a special place for Muslims and the occupying regime is seeking to enforce its domination in line with policies of Judaization of Al-Khalil.”
Earlier, Hamas had warned of repercussions over the planned visit. “The Israeli occupation must bear full responsibility to the repercussions of this assault,” Ismail Radwan, a senior Hamas official, said in a statement on Friday, according to Al-Arabiya.
The candle-lighting “is a provocation of the Palestinians’ feelings and a blatant desecration of the sanctity of the mosque,” he said, calling on Palestinians “to ward off this provocative move”.
The holy site, known to Muslims as the Ibrahimi mosque and to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarch, is revered by both faiths.
Hebron, which is the biggest city in the West Bank, is home to about 1,000 settelers living under heavy Israeli military protection, among more than 200,000 Palestinians.
