Middle East Monitor / February 27, 2020
The Arab League yesterday called for sending international protection forces to the occupied Palestinian territories, namely the West Bank city of Al-Khalil (Hebron), Shehab News Agency reported.
Marking the 26th anniversary of the massacre carried out by an extremist Israeli Jewish settler at the Ibrahimi Mosque, the Arab League condemned the escalating Israeli settler attacks on the heart of Hebron.
The statement pointed out that the Israeli occupation aims to judaise the Palestinian city by increasing the number of settler attacks, as well as by preventing Muslims from performing prayers at the Ibrahimi Mosque.
According to the statement, the Arab League called for the implementation of the terms of the Forth Geneva Convention that prevents such massacres and other acts of terror committed against the Palestinian people.
“This anniversary coincides with the escalation of the Israeli aggression on the Palestinian rights and existence mainly the right to create an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the statement said.
The statement warned of the recent Israeli decision to install an elevator in the Palestinian holy site which aims to reinforce the Israeli Jewish existence, stressing this “will have dangerous consequences”.
On 25 February 1994, the extremist Israeli Jewish settler Baruch Goldstein opened fire on Palestinian worshippers during Fajr (dawn) prayer at the mosque, killing 29 and wounding about 200 others.
During protests against the massacre, the Israeli occupation forces killed 20 Palestinians and wounded over 150.
Since then, the Israeli occupation has closed the main street in the city and dividing the mosque into two parts – one for Palestinians and one for Jews. During the Jewish holidays, Israel prevents Palestinians from entering the mosque at all.
