The UAE has strongly condemned plans by the Israeli government to seize control of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron city, in the occupied West Bank.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the move to transfer control from Palestinian authorities to the Jewish Religious Council in the Kiryat Arba settlement represented a “grave violation” of the mosque's historic and legal status.
The ministry emphasised the importance of respecting the status quo of holy sites and called for an immediate halt to all “unilateral and provocative actions that risk destabilising the occupied Palestinian territories and undermining international efforts towards de-escalation”.
Israeli media reported this week that the directive would be undertaken by the Israeli Civil Administration, which operates under the Ministry of Defence and governs the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The Ibrahimi Mosque is currently under the authority and administration of the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs and the Hebron Municipality.
The mosque is one of the most revered sites in both Judaism and Islam. It was designated a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2017, while also being placed on a list of sites considered in danger by the UN cultural body.
The Permanent Delegation of the State of Palestine to Unesco on Wednesday described the Israeli plan as “dangerous and illegal”.
The UAE has called on the international community to uphold its responsibilities in safeguarding holy sites and preserving their religious and historical status.
The ministry underlined the need to support all regional and international efforts to advance the peace process in the Middle East and end illegal practices that undermine the two-state solution.
