The Israeli military has seized municipal powers over Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque from Palestinians in a move widely seen as undermining Islamic administration of the site.
On Wednesday, the Israeli Civil Administration, a military body overseeing the occupied West Bank, announced it had transferred planning powers from the Palestinian Authority-run Hebron Municipality to its own Supreme Planning Council.
The move was followed by the granting of permission to construct a roof over the mosque's internal courtyard, despite fierce Palestinian opposition.
Hebron Municipality condemned the decision, calling it a "serious and illegal violation" and part of a systemic attack on the status quo at the mosque and the powers of Palestinian authorities tasked with its management.
“This is a clear violation of international law and existing agreements,” the municipality said, accusing Israel of stripping Palestinian institutions of their planning and construction rights in favour of the Israeli Civil Administration.
