Tight restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities around the Ibrahimi Mosque and Hebron’s Old City, in the southern occupied West Bank, have led to a decline in commercial and tourism activity and visitor numbers amid the closure of roads and entrances, tighter inspection procedures and restrictions on the movement of worshippers and visitors.
Shop owners said the closure of areas and roads leading to the Old City, along with restrictions imposed by the army and settlers, had reduced the flow of shoppers and visitors. They added that traders are sometimes ordered to close their shops and leave the area, particularly on Saturdays, increasing their losses and deepening the commercial stagnation.
Tourism and trade in decline
Tourism activity, which once attracted visitors from around the world and from across the West Bank, has declined. The Old City now relies more heavily on visitors from Hebron itself, although their numbers have also fallen because of checkpoints and security measures.
Residents of Hebron say that continued visits to the Ibrahimi Mosque and the Old City support the area’s religious and commercial presence, stressing their commitment to visiting despite the restrictions imposed on them.
Restrictions on entry to the Ibrahimi Mosque
The restrictions affect worshippers heading to the Ibrahimi Mosque, as entry involves searches and detention at the gates. Some worshippers may be barred from entering or asked to wait until prayers have ended. Most of the mosque’s entrances are also closed, with only one left open at certain times.
Violations during August
The Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs said earlier that Israeli authorities and settlers had escalated their violations against Islamic holy sites during August, recording 26 incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque and preventing the call to prayer from being broadcast at the Ibrahimi Mosque 155 times.
The ministry warned that these violations constituted a breach of international law and freedom of worship, and called on the international community and human rights organisations to pressure Israel to halt them and preserve the existing historical and legal status quo at Islamic holy sites.
Israeli authorities continue to tighten their measures around the Ibrahimi Mosque and have prevented the call to prayer from being broadcast inside it for more than two and a half months. Since the outbreak of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, attacks by the army and settlers in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have escalated, according to Palestinian data.
