Israel has carried out a new architectural change at the Ibrahimi Mosque in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron. It began constructing an iron roof over the mosque's courtyard, bringing cranes and iron structures to the area. The call to prayer is also being prevented.
The Sahn-ı Haram is Being Covered
Field sources reported that Israeli authorities have started building an iron roof over the open area of the mosque known as the "Sahn-ı Haram." This step has raised concern at the Hebron Municipality and the Palestinian Endowments Authority. Officials believe Israel aims to take over the mosque's management by eliminating the powers of Palestinian institutions and expanding nearby settlements.
Strong Warning from the Municipality
Hebron Mayor Youssef al-Jabari said the usurpation of authority they had previously warned about is now being implemented on the ground. "By closing the Sahn-ı Haram, the mosque's Islamic architectural fabric is being erased, and the powers of the endowments and municipality are being violated. The aim is to expand settlements," al-Jabari said.
Structural Risk Warning
Tawfiq Cahşan, head of the Legal Department at the Hebron Building Committee, drew attention to the project's construction impact. Cahşan noted that the open area provides natural ventilation for the historic structure, and closing it would cause moisture buildup on walls and erosion of stones, leading to cracks that could threaten parts of the mosque.
A Step-by-Step Plan
This architectural intervention did not come as a surprise. It is seen as the final stage of a gradual plan that has been underway for months under the auspices of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
In January, the Higher Planning Council under the Civil Administration, which is part of the Israeli army, took over planning powers related to the mosque from the Hebron Municipality. This move was made to facilitate granting a permit for the roof project after the municipality repeatedly rejected Israeli demands.
In February, the Ministerial Committee for Security and Political Affairs (the Cabinet) approved decisions that annulled Jordanian law banning the sale of Palestinian-owned land in the West Bank and transferred construction permit authority from the municipality to the Civil Administration.
In mid-June, Smotrich announced that civil planning and construction articles had been annulled, with full responsibility transferred to the Israeli side. On June 23, work machines began dismantling the historic shade structure in the Sahn-ı Haram to prepare for the iron roof.
The 1997 Hebron Protocol is Being Violated
The current steps are changing the legal and political framework established by the Hebron Protocol signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel on January 17, 1997, as part of the Oslo Accords. The agreement divided the city into H1 under Palestinian control and H2 under Israeli security control. Although the H2 area includes the old city, the Ibrahimi Mosque, and settlement areas, the protocol explicitly stipulated that civil powers, including construction, planning, infrastructure, water, electricity, and public services, would remain with the Palestinian Hebron Municipality.
Israel's current decision directly targets this article. Without Palestinian approval, approval was given to build a "Shavei Hevron" religious school covering around 1,000 square meters near the "Beit Romano" settlement. Palestinian officials view this as an attempt to reduce the role of national institutions and change the existing status quo at the Ibrahimi Mosque, which has been on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger since 2017.
The Roots of the Crisis Date Back to 1994
The roots of this architectural implementation go back to the events of February 1994 at the Ibrahimi Mosque. A settler opened fire inside the mosque, killing 29 people and wounding dozens. Following the incident, the Israeli Shamgar Commission was established, which provided for the mosque's division by time and space and the surrounding of the old city with over 120 military checkpoints and barriers.
In July 2025, Israeli authorities transferred planning and administrative powers over the Ibrahimi Mosque from the Hebron Municipality to the religious council of the Kiryat Arba settlement. This decision paved the way for the current architectural changes and construction without municipal approval, ultimately leading to the iron roof installation.
Observers note that greater restrictions at military checkpoints and electronic gates around the mosque are intended to limit worshippers' access and isolate them, allowing Israel to establish full control over the holy site in favor of its settlement project in the heart of Hebron.
