Restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation regime on the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and attacks by Jewish groups in the occupied West Bank continue, with political researcher Numan Amr describing the developments as a “real and silent annexation.”

Amr said the occupation authorities were attempting to alter the geographic structure of the West Bank through policies targeting land, people and holy sites.

He stated that the measures imposed on the Ibrahimi Mosque were not temporary security measures, adding that the call to prayer (adhan) had been continuously prevented at the mosque since June 21.

According to figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, the adhan ban had reached its 94th consecutive day as of September 23, with 155 prayer calls prevented at the mosque in August alone.

Amr said the ban on the adhan was part of broader measures aimed at restricting the presence of Palestinians in and around the mosque.

“People, trees and stones are being targeted”

Amr said attacks in the West Bank were not limited to land, arguing that all aspects of Palestinian existence, including “people, trees and stones,” were being targeted.

He said attacks by armed Jewish groups and measures imposed by occupation authorities aimed to push Palestinians away from their communities and narrow their living spaces, particularly in strategic areas.

Amr also argued that the stance of Itamar Ben-Gvir, the occupation regime’s so-called national security minister, in supporting Jewish groups had contributed to the increase in attacks.

“Real and silent annexation” in the West Bank

Describing developments in the West Bank as a “real and silent annexation,” Amr said the occupation regime was seeking to create a similar outcome through actions on the ground without formally declaring annexation.

He said the expansion of settlements, the linking of illegal outposts, the fragmentation of Palestinian lands and the application of occupation laws to settlement areas were reinforcing this process.

Amr added that land seizures and settlement expansion, particularly in areas classified as “B” and “C,” were further restricting Palestinians’ movement and living spaces.

Status quo being changed at Ibrahimi Mosque

Emphasizing the central importance of the Ibrahimi Mosque to Hebron’s religious and historical identity, Amr said restrictions on the mosque should not be viewed separately from broader developments.

During Jewish holidays in September, occupation forces closed the mosque to Muslims while opening it to Jewish groups for religious rituals. The latest closure on September 20-21 was the second major closure carried out within less than a week.

Following the 1994 massacre at the Ibrahimi Mosque, spatial and temporal divisions were introduced at the site. Restrictions on the adhan, mosque closures, limits on access and restrictions on Muslim worship have continued.

Amr said these measures were part of broader efforts to interfere with the mosque’s identity and existing status.

Settlement expansion strengthens occupation system

Amr said steps by the occupation regime to impose its own legal and administrative system on settlements in the West Bank were also supporting this process, aiming to make settlements more permanent politically and administratively.

According to Amr, land confiscation, settlement expansion, attacks against Palestinians and interventions targeting holy sites were not separate actions but interconnected elements of an effort to create a new reality in the West Bank.

He said the fragmentation of Palestinian territory and the linking of settlements were weakening Palestinian geographic continuity, adding that Hebron and the Ibrahimi Mosque remained among the central areas affected by this process.(ILKHA)