Daijiworld Media Network - Ramallah

Ramallah, Jan 2: The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday strongly condemned Israel’s decision to strip the Palestinian-run Hebron Municipality of planning and construction powers over the Ibrahimi Mosque and transfer the authority to an Israeli committee, calling it a dangerous escalation and a violation of the site’s legal and historical status.

In a statement, the ministry said it was responding to the approval granted by the Israeli Civil Administration’s subcommittee for planning and licensing to roof the courtyard of the Ibrahimi Mosque, along with the withdrawal of Hebron Municipality’s jurisdiction over the holy site.

The ministry said the Israeli decision represents a serious breach of international resolutions and constitutes a grave infringement on the legal and historical status of the Ibrahimi Mosque. It alleged that such actions reflect an attempt by the occupying forces to impose continued control over the mosque.

According to the ministry, the move is part of what it described as “Judaization projects” being carried out by Israel in the occupied West Bank, asserting that these measures are taken outside any legal framework while disregarding legitimate Palestinian rights and established international legal positions.

On Wednesday, Israel’s Channel 14 reported that the Civil Administration’s Supreme Planning Council, operating under the Israeli army, approved the withdrawal of planning powers from the Hebron Municipality. The channel said the decision was justified as a step to “facilitate issuing a building permit” for the courtyard roofing project, after the Palestinian-run municipality repeatedly rejected Israeli requests to undertake the work.