One of Islam’s holiest mosques is under growing threat, as Israeli authorities tighten restrictions and assert greater control over the historic Al-Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank.

The mosque’s mesmerising call to prayer was silenced 44 times in February alone. This figure was released on Sunday by the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs. The move is the latest in a series of Israeli measures aimed at suffocating Palestinian presence at one of Islam’s holiest sites. 

Palestinian political analyst Imad Abu Awwad told TRT World that these measures are part of a broader strategy with dangerous implications.

“Israel is pushing to assert total control over the mosque,” he explained, “They want to reduce Palestinian prayer rights to an Israeli-granted privilege rather than a fundamental right.

Beyond this, Abu Awwad sees a more alarming ambition at play: the formalisation of annexation in the occupied West Bank.  

“The creeping restrictions on Palestinian access to Al-Ibrahimi Mosque,” he noted, “are reminiscent of the 1980s, when Israeli authorities dictated prayer hours and controlled entry.”

In late February, the Israeli military’s Hebron District Coordination and Liaison Office informed Palestinian officials that Israel would assume administrative control over the mosque, stripping oversight from the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments. The decision has fuelled fears of further marginalisation of Palestinian religious and cultural heritage. 

“In recent months, the Israeli occupation forces have intensified their attacks against Islamic sanctities under the pretext of tourism,” said Motasem Abu Sneineh, the mosque’s director, who has been prevented from entering the mosque by Israeli officials. 

He described an escalation of restrictions, including the expulsion of ministry employees and a systematic effort to erase Palestinian worshippers from the site.

“As part of this transition, Israel plans to proceed with construction to roof a section of the mosque known as the ‘courtyard,’” he told TRT World. “For more than 20 years, Israeli settlers have occupied this space, erecting a tent and conducting prayers, preventing Palestinian Muslims from accessing it.”

The Israeli forces initially began roofing the courtyard on July 9 of the previous year. However, construction was halted just two days later following widespread protests and sit-ins in Hebron, organised by the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs and backed by the local community.

The demonstrations drew widespread participation, with protesters condemning the move as an attempt to alter the mosque’s identity and further entrench Israeli control. 

“This was not just about construction, it was about imposing control and trying to Judaise the site,” Abu Sneineh said.

Sacred history under threat 

Al-Ibrahimi Mosque, known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs, is deeply revered for its association with the prophet Abraham, a central figure in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. The mosque is believed to house the tombs of Abraham and his wife, Sarah, along with other biblical patriarchs and matriarchs. This religious significance has made it a point of contention over the centuries.

Spanning approximately 2,040 square metres, the mosque is fortified by ancient limestone walls, some more than two metres thick. 

Abu Sneineh told TRT World, the complex includes colonnades, passageways, and two towering minarets, as well as an underground crypt known as “al-Ghar,” or the cave in English, believed to contain the Abraham’s remains. 

Historically, the site has undergone repeated transformations. During the reign of Herod the Great, just over 2,000 years ago, a grand enclosure was built around it. Later, under the Byzantine rule, it was converted into a church, which was subsequently destroyed in 614 CE during the Persian invasion of Palestine.

When the Muslim conquest swept through in 637 CE, the site was transformed into a mosque. The Umayyad Caliphate later added significant renovations including a roof and several domes.

The Crusaders seized the area in 1100 CE, converting the site into a church and fortifying it as ‘Saint Abraham’s Castle’. But by 1187 CE, Ayyubid sultan Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi reclaimed Hebron and restored the mosque to its Islamic function. 

Israeli authorities have justified their latest administrative takeover and construction efforts as measures to improve accessibility and security. But the mosque’s director sees it as part of a broader attempt to diminish Muslim presence. 

“They are ignoring international laws and conventions that have recognised this site as Palestinian heritage,” Abu Sneineh said, referring to the mosque’s 2017 UNESCO designation as a Palestinian cultural landmark.

“This is not just about a mosque,” he added. “It’s about erasing history and controlling the narrative of a place that belongs to generations of Palestinian worshippers.”

A ticking time bomb

According to Abu Awwad Israeli security officials, including the Shin Bet intelligence agency, have cautioned that continued provocations at the mosque could ignite widespread unrest.

“This is a clear signal that annexation is not just a theoretical discussion, it is happening,” he said. If left unchallenged, he warns, this model could set a precedent for other contested sites, including Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Abu Sneineh agreed, emphasising the daily raids, arbitrary closures, and violent suppression of Palestinian worshippers were deliberate attempts to impede access to prayer.

“It is crucial for Palestinians to remain steadfast and mobilise for prayer in defiance of these restrictions,” he urged.

Esmat Mansour, a political analyst specialising in Israeli affairs, stressed that for over seven decades, far-right Israeli groups have targeted Al-Ibrahimi Mosque.

“This ongoing aggression deepens Palestinian resentment and heightens tensions that could ultimately escalate into a wider conflict in the occupied territories.”

This article is published in collaboration with Egab.