THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

The status quo at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque is deteriorating (RNS) — At first, last week’s investigative report by Middle East Eye journalists, revealing a secret U.S.-Israel plan to end Jordanian custodianship of Jerusalem’s most contentious holy site, seemed far-fetched. The plan purports to replace Jordan’s administrative body with an Israeli-appointed one that would reframe the Muslim site, allowing public access to a “multifaith center.” When questioned , U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared surprised. “I’m not even aware of those reports. …  I’ve never heard that,” he said in a congressional hearing about the matter. Rubio then stressed the “great” partnership between the U.S. and Jordan. But those on the ground were not surprised by the report. The long-standing status quo, dating back to 19th-century Ottoman rule and reinforced by international resolutions and the 2014 U.S.-Israel-Jordan agreement, has been to preserve the site for Muslim worship and allow visitors of other faiths. But in practice, that agreement has been eroding for decades, increasingly so since the war in Gaza in late 2023. RELATED: Closing Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan sets a dangerous precede…

WITH US FUNDS: HEBRON SQUATTERS ADVANCE ONTO OLD CITIY June 10, Israel's Planning Council STRIPPED Palestinian Municipality Hebron Authority for planning & building over settlement properties unwinding 1997 Hebron Protocol CONTROL IN PALESTINIAN HANDS! mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#in...

Move afoot to change Al-Aqsa’s status <p>• Tel Aviv working alongside US and right-wing groups to declare compound ‘multi-faith centre’<br>• Israeli settlers torch two mosques in occupied West Bank</p> <p>HARDLINE Israeli officials and radical right-wing politicians are working with the United States to alter the longstanding ‘Status Quo’ at the sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, pushing a highly inflammatory campaign to usurp the exclusively Muslim site, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="link--external" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy0nlv90jno"><em>BBC</em></a> News reported.</p> <p>Recent media reports indicate the Israeli government intends to formally designate the compound as a “multi-faith centre”.</p> <p>This brazen move flies in the face of centuries of tradition, under which even some Jewish groups forbid their followers from praying within the mosque’s premises.</p> <p>According to <em>BBC</em>, Israel might impose large-scale Jewish prayer practices at this historically Muslim site, an audacious move towards full control of its administration.</p> <p>The move is spearheaded by extreme right-wing Israeli politicians like Moshe Feiglin, who rece…

JFJFP The Ibrahimi Mosque aka Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron on 17 June 2026 The Palestine Chroniclereports on 1 July 2026: Key Developments Israeli occupation authorities have intensified restrictions across the occupied West Bank city of Hebron (Al Khalil), sealing the governorate with dozens of iron gates while taking additional steps that Palestinian officials say are aimed at asserting full Israeli control over the Ibrahimi Mosque. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Hebron Governor Khaled Dodin said Israeli authorities have installed 106 iron gates throughout the governorate and blocked 16 roads and entrances with earth mounds, further restricting Palestinian movement. According to Dodin, the measures are part of a broader policy targeting the city and its residents through movement restrictions, settlement expansion and increasing military control. ‘Plan to Seize Control’Dodin strongly condemned ongoing Israeli construction work on the roof of the Ibrahimi Mosque, saying the project continued for a second consecutive day despite Palestinian objections.  He said the works are part of “a plan aimed at imposing a new reality that would enable Israel to seize con…

Israel turning Ibrahim Khalili Mosque into a Synagogue Middle East Israel turning Ibrahim Khalili Mosque into a Synagogue Inside view of Ibrahim Mosque or know Masjid Al-Khalil located in Hebron city. By Latheef Farook January 9, 2026 Israeli military has seized municipal powers over the historic Ibrahim Khalili Mosque from Palestinians on Wednesday 31 December 2025 undermining Islamic administration of the site. This was followed by Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit approving   the confiscation of Palestinian land in the area of the Ibrahimi Mosque . The Ibrahim Khalili Mosque in Hebron is regarded as a holy site by Muslims, Jews and Christians alike as the birthplace of Prophet Abraham, patriarch of all three religions. The Mosque hold the remains of prophet I brah i m, his wife Sarah, their son Isaac and grandson Jacob and their wives Rebecca and Leah . l ocated approximately thirty kilometers from Masjid Al Aqsa , Ibrahim Khalil Mosque , is one of the significant sites of the Islamic world, in an area known for its fertile and green landscape. The city, also called Haram alIbrahim, is recognized as the place where the Prophet Ibrahim settled in Palestine. It is rega…

Israel seizes planning powers over Hebron's Ibrahimi Mosque from ... 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. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongs…

Israeli Settlements and National Projects Minister Orit Strock celebrated expanding Israeli control over the Ibrahimi Mosque in occupied Hebron, declaring that the site belongs to Israeli settlers. The Israeli occupation is Judaizing the West Bank through an Israeli system of apartheid.

Palestine decries vandalization of Ibrahimi Mosque by Israel Home World Palestine decries vandalization of Ibrahimi Mosque by Israel World Facebook X Pinterest WhatsApp Linkedin ReddIt Email Tumblr Telegram A man clears the rubble as writing in Hebrew on the wall reads “revenge, regards to the arrested, people, wake up,” at one of the West Bank mosques that were vandalized and partly set on fire by Israeli settlers overnight, in the village of Jiljilya, north of Ramallah, June 17. Photo: AP/Majdi Mohammed The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs has strongly condemned the latest Israeli actions in the courtyard of the Ibrahimi Mosque in the occupied West Bank city of al-Khalil. These measures constitute a blatant attack on the holy site and form part of a deliberate effort to alter its Islamic and historical character. In a statement issued on June 23, the ministry reported that Israeli occupation forces have begun removing the canopy in the mosque courtyard. It described the move as a “new Judaization crime” and warned that it is part of a broader settlement project aimed at imposing a “new Judaization reality” inside the sacred site. The ministry further stated th…

Israel seizes power over occupied West Bank mosque from Palestinians Hebron&#039;s mayor warns unilateral changes breach agreements, posing significant consequences for the region&#039;s stability.

Israel approves settler building plans in Palestinian West Bank city <p>By Ali Sawafta and Dedi Hayun</p><p>HEBRON, West Bank, June 17 (Reuters) - Israel on Wednesday approved the expansion of a Jewish school for settlers living in the centre of the Palestinian city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, in a construction push that Palestinians say violates a decades-old agreement.</p><p>Israel's finance minister announced the plans a day after saying he had scrapped a deal that gave the Palestinian municipality control over certain planning and construction around Hebron's historic core, home to a flashpoint holy shrine. </p>

Israel orders seizure of Ibrahimi Mosque courtyard roof in Hebron September 15, 2025 at 6:45 pm Jewish settlers, under the protection of Israeli forces, storm the Ibrahimi Mosque in the southern city of Hebron, West Bank, on September 03, 2025. [Wisam Hashlamoun – Anadolu Agency] Israel has ordered the takeover of the roof of the inner courtyard at Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque, a move Palestinian officials say is the latest step to erode Muslim authority over one of the West Bank’s most sensitive holy sites,Anadolu reports. The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said the order, covering 288 square meters, was issued on Monday through a formal expropriation notice. Commission head Moayyad Shaaban said the decision “deepens Israel’s encroachment on religious sites in violation of international norms.” He warned it effectively transfers oversight from Palestinian religious authorities and the Hebron municipality to illegal settler councils, tightening Israel’s administrative and security grip on the shrine. The commission appealed to UNESCO and the United Nations to intervene, saying the mosque’s protection is tied to preserving …

The government intends to seize administrative powers from the ... Yesterday, reports were published in the Israeli media indicating that the Minister of Defence has decided to unilaterally transfer to Israel the authority over the management of the Ibrahimi Mosque (Cave of the Patriarchs) , for the purpose of carrying out renovations at the site. This means that Israel will be able to make changes to the structure of the holy site without coordination or consent from the Palestinians — an act that would constitute a grave insult to millions of Muslims, as well as a violation of international agreements to which Israel is a signatory. In order to authorize the construction work, an administrative measure will likely be required, such as issuing a military order and possibly expropriating land within the site. According to the report, the legal adviser of the Defense Ministry ( which was replaced over the past year by Minister Smotrich) has already approved the move. Four years ago, Israel constructed an elevator at the Cave of the Patriarchs site, despite opposition from both Israelis and Palestinians and following a public and legal battle. Peace Now: “The annexationist governmen…

Israel seizes West Bank shrine planning powers from Palestinians World Israel seizes West Bank shrine planning powers from Palestinians Israel handed planning control at Hebron’s shrine to its authorities, ending a 1997 Palestinian role and sharpening a fight over sovereignty at a volatile holy site. Andrea Vigano June 16, 2026 at 10:08 AM ET 3 min read Israel seizes West Bank shrine planning powers from Palestinians Israel stripped the Palestinian Authority of planning and construction powers at the Tomb of the Patriarchs, known to Muslims as the Ibrahimi Mosque, placing civil approvals for one of the West Bank’s most sensitive sites in Israeli hands. The move reaches far beyond zoning. It shifts power over a shrine sacred to both Jews and Muslims and turns an administrative change into a visible assertion of control in Hebron, a city long defined by occupation policy, settlement politics and recurring violence. Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s finance minister and a settler himself, said he gave final approval Monday night for the transfer of authority. Israel’s Higher Planning Council finalized the step after a security cabinet decision had approved it in principle on February 8, cen…

Israel takes Hebron shrine powers from Palestinians - Pakistan Today June 17, 2026 Israel has shifted planning and construction powers at the Hebron shrine complex from Palestinian authorities to Israeli bodies, according to Bezalel Smotrich. Palestinian officials said the move violates Hebron’s legal and political status. News Desk June 17, 2026 JERUSALEM: Israel has transferred planning and construction authority at a major shrine in Hebron from Palestinian authorities to Israeli bodies, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, in a move that alters part of an arrangement in place since the 1990s. Under the 1997 Hebron Agreement, Palestinians had authority over planning and construction across the city, including the Tomb of the Patriarchs, revered by Jews, and the adjoining Ibrahimi Mosque, a major Muslim holy site. Hebron’s Old City is recognised as a Palestinian World Heritage site. Parts of the city remain under Israeli security control, where hundreds of Jewish settlers live among tens of thousands of Palestinians. Smotrich, a far-right minister, said he gave final approval late on Monday for the transfer of these powers as they relate to the religious compound…

Palestine weekly: Israel accelerates land grabs in Gaza, West Bank Permanent alterations begin at Hebron&#039;s Ibrahimi Mosque as plans advance for settlements in Gaza.

Israel seizes powers over Hebron shrine from Palestinian Authority <p>JERUSALEM, June 16 (Reuters) - Israel has seized planning and construction powers at a Jewish and Muslim shrine in the occupied West Bank from the Palestinian Authority, scrapping an agreement in place since the 1990s, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday. </p><p>Under the 1997 Hebron Agreement, Palestinians controlled planning and construction in the entire city, including the Jewish Tomb of the Patriarchs and the adjoining Muslim Ibrahimi Mosque.</p>

Israel issues decision to seize roof of inner Ibrahimi Mosque courtyard Hebron, September 15, 2025 (WAFA) – The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission revealed that the Israeli occupation authorities have issued a decision to seize the roof of the inner courtyard of the Ibrahimi Mosque in the city of Hebron. The expropriation order, issued on Monday, stipulates the seizure of an area of ​​288 square meters of the designated roof. The head of the commission, Mu'ayyad Shaaban, said that Israel is thus embarking on a gradual and escalating trend of targeting religious sites in a manner that violates all norms, particularly the transfer of authority for work in the Ibrahimi Mosque in February 2025 from the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments to the so-called "Civil Planning Authority." This was followed by a decision on July 20, 2025, withdrawing supervisory authority from the Hebron Municipality and transferring it to the Religious Council in the Kiryat Arba settlement, to manage parts of the Mosque and implement structural changes to the Mosque. Shaabanemphasized that this decision, which coincides with the transfer of supervisory powers from the Palestinian Waqf and the Hebro…

Israel seizes powers over flashpoint West Bank shrine from Palestinians ... Israel seizes powers over flashpoint West Bank shrine from Palestinians Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Israeli flags flutter on the Ibrahimi mosque, also known as the Cave of the Patriarchs, in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. PHOTO: REUTERS Published Jun 16, 2026, 09:24 PM Updated Jun 17, 2026, 02:00 AM Set as preferred source Listen JERUSALEM – Israel has seized planning and construction powers at a Jewish and Muslim shrine in the occupied West Bank from Palestinian authorities, scrapping parts of an agreement in place since the 1990s, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on June 16. Under the 1997 Hebron Agreement, Palestinians controlled planning and construction in the entire city, including the Jewish Tomb of the Patriarchs and the adjoining Muslim Ibrahimi Mosque. Hebron’s Old City is recognised as a Palestinian World Heritage site. Hundreds of Jewish settlers live among tens of thousands of Palestinians in parts of the ancient city that are under Israeli security control. Smotrich, a far-right minister, said he had given the final sign-off late on June 15 to t…

AL Jazeera News June 30 2026 Israel accelerates land grabs in Gaza, West Bank Permanent alterations begin at Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque as plans advance for settlements in Gaza, while a UN inquiry finds Israel deliberately killed Palestinian children. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/...

Israel takes control of Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque: What this means Palestinians controlled planning and construction in the entire West Bank city under the 1997 Hebron Agreement.

Israel breaks the Hebron Accords and assumes control Follow us 3 minutes 1 minute 2 minutes 4 minutes 2 minutes The Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, announced this Tuesday the annulment of the Hebron Agreements, signed in 1997 in the context of the Oslo Accords. The decision implies withdrawing various powers from the Palestinian authorities in this West Bank city, including those related to urban planning and building permits. "I have annulled the Hebron Agreements," declared Smotrich, one of the main representatives of the hardest line within Benjamin Netanyahu's Executive. He immediately stressed that "this means that many powers over Hebron and its holy sites, including the Tomb of the Patriarchs, are no longer in the hands of the terrorist municipality of Hebron." "They return entirely to the full responsibility of the State of Israel," he added in a message disseminated on social media, where he insisted that "this is much more than a planning-level step." "It is a historic amendment," he maintained, while defending the "revolution" aimed at "regulating settlements, strengthening governance, and deepening Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria," in refer…

Israel seizes control of historic Nabi Samuel mosque from Islamic waqf Israel has issued an order to seize the tomb of the Prophet Samuel (Nabi Samuel), an important religious landmark in the occupied West Bank run by the Islamic Waqf, in a move that has been condemned as the latest example of “Judaisation” of Palestinian sites. On Tuesday, Israel’s civil administration, which carries out Israeli orders in the occupied West Bank, announced that it was expropriating 28 acres of land. That land includes the Palestinian towns of Beit Iksa and Nabi Samuel, covering the area where the historic Nabi Samuel mosque stands. The justification given by the civil administration, which is a subordinate to a unit in Israel’s defence ministry, was that the area was being seized “for the public benefit”. It said it would undertake a development project “to preserve the archaeological site of the Prophet Samuel’s tomb”. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters But Palestinian analysts have said that the move is yet another example of “Judaisation”, a term coined to describe Israel…

Israel accelerates land grabs in Gaza, West Bank Permanent alterations begin at Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque as plans advance for settlements in Gaza, while a UN inquiry finds Israel deliberately killed Palestinian children. www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/6/...