Latest news with #IsraelHayom
Middle East Eye
3 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Palestinians warn of ‘dangerous' Israeli plan to hand Ibrahimi Mosque to settlers
Palestinians have warned of a "dangerous" Israeli move reportedly aimed at transferring control of Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque to settlers in the occupied West Bank. According to a report by Israel Hayom earlier this week, Israel plans to strip the Palestinian-run Hebron Municipality of administrative authority over the historic site. The site would be handed over to the religious council of the nearby Kiryat Arba settlement, built on Hebron's land. The report described the plan as an "unprecedented" step, marking the most significant change to the site's status since 1994. The Islamic Waqf in Hebron told Middle East Eye it had not received any official notification. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Muataz Abu Sneineh, director of the Ibrahimi Mosque, said that if confirmed, the plan would constitute a 'blatant and dangerous assault' on a site of deep 'religious, historical and archaeological' importance. He cautioned that the report may be a test to gauge Palestinian reaction before any formal steps are taken. 'These announcements are dangerous and aim to advance Judaisation plans' - Muataz Abu Sneineh, Ibrahimi Mosque director 'The mosque's guards are still performing their duties, and nothing has changed, but these announcements are dangerous and aim to advance Judaisation plans that could alter the status quo here,' he told MEE. Abu Sneineh added that any interference with the mosque's affairs or physical structure suggests Israel is exploiting the current wars to impose a new reality on the ground. 'Israel continues its violations and disregards all international laws, as this site is on the Unesco list of Palestinian World Heritage sites, and is recognised by human rights organisations,' he said. Palestinians reject the plan The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that the reported Israeli plans represent a 'blatant violation of international law'. The ministry urged Unesco and the international community to intervene immediately, warning of the move's potential to escalate tensions and undermine the sanctity of religious sites. 'The Ministry considers this an unprecedented step in Israel's ongoing efforts to assert sovereignty over the site, Judaize it, and alter its identity and historical features,' it said in a statement. Hebron's mayor, Tayseer Abu Sneineh, echoed the condemnation. In a press statement, he warned that altering the mosque's status would be a 'serious violation of international law and all relevant agreements', including the Hebron Protocol and the Shamgar Committee recommendations, which were issued after the 1994 Ibrahimi Mosque massacre. 'Despite [its plans] being unjust and unilateral, the occupation continues to adhere to some aspects of these recommendations,' he added. 'We have not yet received an official decision, but in principle, we reject it completely. It is a political, cultural and religious aggression against Hebron, and an attack on the municipality's legitimate authority, including over the Ibrahimi Mosque and its surroundings." Restrictions and violations The Ibrahimi Mosque has long been subject to Israeli restrictions and violations. These include repeated bans on the call to prayer, the closure of entrances to Muslim worshippers, settler incursions, the confiscation of keys to rooms and courtyards, invasive searches of worshippers, and harassment of nearby residents. Just last week, Israeli settlers held a wedding in the mosque's courtyard. A source within the Hebron Municipality told MEE that municipal crews are routinely harassed and blocked by Israeli soldiers when attempting to access the site. Amid Iran war, Israel seals off Al-Aqsa Mosque in unprecedented move Read More » Israeli forces deliberately prevent them from completing their work, the source said, requesting anonymity for safety reasons. The Hebron Rehabilitation Committee also faces frequent obstruction by Israeli forces, who prevent any restoration work inside or around the mosque. The Ibrahimi Mosque is regarded as a holy site by Muslims, Jews and Christians alike as the birthplace of Prophet Abraham, patriarch of all three religions. It is known to Israelis as the Cave of the Patriarchs. In 1994, an armed Israeli settler, Baruch Goldstein, entered the complex during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and opened fire on Muslim worshippers, killing 29 people and wounding more than 120. Following the attack, the site was divided into a mosque and a synagogue, paving the way for regular settler incursions and expanded Israeli control over both the mosque and the city of Hebron.
Roya News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
'Israel' transfers Ibrahimi Mosque control to settler council: Hebrew media
'Israeli' authorities have reportedly removed the Hebron municipality's administrative authority over the Ibrahimi Mosque and handed it to a settler-run religious council, Israel Hayom reported on Tuesday. The newspaper described the move as a 'historic and unprecedented change,' claiming that Israel's Civil Administration reassigned control of the holy site to the religious council of Kiryat Arba, a settlement adjacent to Hebron in the occupied West Bank. While the report did not detail the full extent of the powers transferred, it said the decision was meant to enable 'structural changes' at the site, including planned roof renovations and construction in the area known as 'Jacob's Courtyard,' which is used primarily by Jewish worshippers. If confirmed, this would be the most significant alteration to the mosque's status since the 1994 recommendations of the Shamgar Commission, which divided access to the site, allocating 63 percent for Jewish worshippers and 37 percent for Muslims. That division followed the massacre carried out by extremist settler Baruch Goldstein, who killed 29 Palestinians during dawn prayers at the mosque. The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, in a statement issued on February 26, reiterated that the Ibrahimi Mosque, also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs and the Cave of Machpelah, remains 'an exclusive Islamic endowment' and condemned what it described as 'Israeli' attempts to turn the mosque into a Jewish synagogue.
Middle East Eye
4 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Israeli settler council seizes control of historic Ibrahimi Mosque in West Bank
Israeli authorities have stripped the Palestinian-run Hebron municipality of administrative powers over the Ibrahimi Mosque and transferred them to a settler religious council, the Israel Hayom daily reported on Tuesday. Describing the move as a "historic and unprecedented change", the newspaper said Israeli authorities plan to make "structural changes" at the site. The Ibrahimi compound - known to Israelis as the Cave of the Patriarchs - was split into a mosque and synagogue following the 1994 massacre of dozens of Palestinian worshippers at the hands of American-Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein. The report said that "this is the most dramatic work to be done at the site since 1994, as part of a fundamental changes taking place at the site". Local Palestinians say the Israeli government has been slowly chipping away at Palestinian influence over the site, which, as the believed burial place of the prophet Abraham, is the second-holiest place in Judaism. For the first time this year, Israeli authorities also refused to hand over all sections of the mosque to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, as is customary on the Friday of Ramadan. The move marked a significant departure from past practice. A picture shows the Ibrahimi Mosque in the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on 16 March 2024. (AFP)
Roya News
6 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
The Netanyahu trial: Power, corruption, and the fight to avoid justice
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Occupation's longest-serving Prime Minister, is fighting the legal battle of his life. After more than 17 years in power, and nearly three decades as a dominant political force, Netanyahu now stands at the center of a corruption saga that has both gripped and divided 'Israeli' society. Accused of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in a trio of cases that span luxury gifts, media manipulation, and corporate favoritism, Netanyahu's trial is more than a legal proceeding, it is a referendum on power, justice, and democracy in 'Israel'. - Background - Netanyahu served three separate terms as Prime Minister: from 1996 to 1999, from 2009 to 2021, and again beginning in 2022. But corruption allegations have trailed him for decades, resurfacing again and again with increasing intensity. Those accusations finally crystallized in 2019 when he became the first sitting 'Israeli' Prime Minister to be indicted. - The charges: A closer look - Netanyahu faces criminal charges in three interrelated corruption cases. Case 1000: The Gifts Affair Between 2007 and 2016, Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, allegedly accepted nearly USD 300,000 in luxury gifts, including cigars, champagne, and jewelry, from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer. In return, Netanyahu allegedly used his office to lobby for Milchan's financial and legal interests, including a US visa renewal and tax exemptions. Case 2000: The Media Deal Netanyahu is also accused of attempting to strike a deal with media mogul Arnon Mozes, publisher of Yedioth Ahronoth, to receive more favorable coverage in exchange for legislation that would weaken a competing pro-Netanyahu outlet, Israel Hayom. Case 4000: Regulatory Favors In the most serious case, Netanyahu is accused of promoting regulatory decisions that benefited Shaul Elovitch, former controlling shareholder of Bezeq, 'Israel's' telecom giant, in exchange for positive coverage on Elovitch's news site, Walla. Ghost cases Two additional investigations, Cases 1270 and 3000, were dropped before trial. The first involved allegations of a bribery offer to a judge in exchange for dropping charges against Netanyahu's wife. The second focused on a controversial submarine deal with Germany, where Netanyahu's cousin, who represented the manufacturer, allegedly stood to benefit. While Netanyahu avoided formal charges in both cases, they further fueled the perception of systemic abuse of power. - What's at stake? - If convicted of bribery, Netanyahu could face up to 10 years in prison, while fraud and breach of trust carry penalties of up to three years. But politically, he remains protected, at least for now. "Israeli" law allows him to remain in office unless convicted and exhausted of appeals. Analysts say this loophole has turned the Prime Minister's office into a shield, and Netanyahu appears determined to use every ounce of its protection. - A history of legal escapes - This is not Netanyahu's first brush with the law. As early as 1997, he was investigated for trying to appoint a sympathetic attorney general. In 1999, he was suspected of accepting lavish renovations from a government contractor. Both cases were ultimately dropped. Still, the current charges are the most serious yet, and the most persistent. Since the trial began in 2020, it has moved at a glacial pace, bogged down by delays, political instability, and a global pandemic. - Delays, distractions, and smokescreens - Critics accuse Netanyahu of using national crises, including repeated wars in Iran, Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon, to delay court appearances. His government has also tried to reshape the legal landscape itself. In 2023, Netanyahu's far-right coalition launched a controversial judicial overhaul that critics saw as a direct attempt to weaken the very courts trying him. The move triggered mass protests and divided 'Israeli' society, though it was shelved following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas operation. In one striking instance, he was set to testify in March 2025 but avoided the hearing after ordering a surprise attack on Gaza, effectively postponing the trial again. - Negotiating justice - Behind closed doors, Netanyahu has reportedly sought plea deals, including one in which he would plead guilty to lesser charges in Case 1000. But he has refused to accept any verdict that would require his resignation or a ban from politics. In June 2025, US President Donald Trump weighed in, calling the trial a 'witch hunt' and urging for it to be canceled or for Netanyahu to be pardoned, remarks that triggered outrage from 'Israeli' opposition figures who accused Trump of meddling. - The bigger question - As Netanyahu's legal battle drags on, its implications go far beyond one man. His critics say he has turned the justice system into a tool for political survival, delaying, discrediting, and even attempting to dismantle it. Regardless of the verdict, the damage may already be done. Institutions have been weakened, public trust has eroded, and the precedent has been set: that a sitting Prime Minister can use the machinery of state to fend off justice.
Roya News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
New Hamas tactics against 'Israeli' soldiers in Gaza revealed
Hamas fighters in Gaza have 'shifted to a strategy of sacrifice, showing significantly more audacity and engaging in close combat' in an attempt to capture 'Israeli' soldiers, one senior official said, cited by Hebrew news outlet 'Israel Hayom'. As the military pushes deeper into urban areas of Gaza, the 'Israeli' military is concerned that Hamas' efforts could come to a fruition. After 21 months of war, the change in combat strategy came after the 'Israeli' military changed its approach after the latest ceasefire ended in March. Previously, it relied on short, targeted raids, but the military's goal now is to maintain a continuous presence in Gaza and its cities, the report adds. One recent incident happened last week, where Hamas fighters charged head-on an 'Israeli' soldier operating a bulldozer in the southern city of Khan Younis, killing him at close quarters after he abandoned the machinery. Hamas' military wing released a video of the incident, showing the fighters standing on top of the soldiers' lifeless body, after they took his firearms. Another recent incident happened in north Gaza's Beit Hanoun, where a planted IED killed at least five soldiers during night hours. Following the detonation, reports in Hebrew media said helicopters were deployed amid heavy gunfire as Hamas fighters charged the 'Israeli' soldiers to possibly carry out a kidnapping. The 'Israeli' military now instructs its troops to stay vigilant, but the issue poses a risk for military commanders. The army is now awaiting a decision from the government regarding the next phase of operations in Gaza, as the current operation, named 'Gideon's Chariots' is nearing its end.
