Israeli authorities closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron to Palestinian worshippers for a Jewish holiday, Al Jazeera reported, while Jewish visitors were allowed access to the shared shrine also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs. Palestinian officials called the closure collective punishment and said it cut off a central place of Friday and festival prayer. Israel says holiday arrangements manage security at a site long divided after the 1994 massacre. Rights groups argue repeated full closures tilt control of the sanctuary. The move adds tension in the West Bank city where settler and military presence is already heavy. Worshippers said they were turned away at checkpoints around the old city.
Source: Al Jazeera