Israeli settlers storm Ibrahimi mosque; settler aggression on the rise

[ProgressiveMuslim]

Date: 09 / 08 / 2008 Time: 11:36


Bethlehem – Ma'an – A group of 50 armed Israeli settlers attempted to storm the Ibrahimi Mosque on Friday. The attack marks the fourth recorded settler attack in the West Bank in four days, and a general rise in aggressive tactics of settlers.

The Ibrahimi mosque is believed to be the burial site of Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah and Jacob and Leah; also known as the tomb of the patriarchs, and is located in the West Bank city of Hebron.

The group of settlers attempted to enter what is now the Muslim section of the mosque, an area that represents about 81% of the structure and is under the control of the Awaqf Ministry (the traditional trust) in Palestine. All Palestinians entering the area, however, are searched by Israeli soldiers guarding the area. The remaining section is used as synagogue for Israeli settlers in and around the city of Hebron.

The Hebron settlers were able to enter the Muslim portion of the mosque on Friday before Israeli forces were able to pull the attackers out and remove them from the Palestinian area.

Attacks on the mosque by settlers are a semi-regular occurrence. On Thursday a group of settlers who have been occupying an area near the building for the past several years, threw dust at the entrance and surprised the skeikhs and mufti's in the building.

Also this week five settlers were arrested by Israeli soldiers in Nablus after trying to sneak into Joseph's shrine. Settlers are not permitted into Palestinian areas without Israeli army security, though an increasing number of violations are being recorded.

On Thursday in Beit Sahour just outside of Bethlehem, settlers assaulted peaceful worshipers trying to protect what is planned as the site of a multimillion dollar children's hospital.

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