Hebron: Trkiye on Thursday condemned Israel's attempts to change the status of the Ibrahimi Mosque in the West Bank city of Hebron. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed strong opposition to these actions, stating, "We reject Israel's attempts to alter the status of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and to usurp the authority of the Palestinian people."

According to Anadolu Agency, Israeli media reported on Tuesday that Tel Aviv had removed the Hebron municipality's administrative authority over the Ibrahimi Mosque, transferring it to a settler council. This move has sparked significant concern and calls for action from the international community.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry emphasized the need for relevant UN agencies, particularly UNESCO, and the international community to take measures against this attempt by Israel, labeling it a violation of international law and an attack on human values. The Ibrahimi Mosque, also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, holds religious significance for both Muslims and Jews, and has been a longstanding point of tension in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This recent Israeli move signifies the first major shift in the mosque's status since the 1994 recommendations of the Shamgar Commission. These recommendations resulted in the division of access to the site, allocating 63% for Jewish worshippers and 37% for Muslims. This division followed a tragic event in 1994, when extremist settler Baruch Goldstein killed 29 Palestinian worshippers during dawn prayers.

The Ibrahimi Mosque is situated in Hebron's Old City, an area under full Israeli control where approximately 400 settlers reside, protected by around 1,500 Israeli soldiers. The situation remains a critical flashpoint in the ongoing conflict.