Israel shuts Ibrahimi mosque for Jewish holiday

The Israeli authorities have announced plans to close the Ibrahimi mosque (Cave of the Patriarchs) in the southern West Bank city of Hebron for Muslim worshippers on Monday, August 5, which coincides with the most important night in the Muslim calendar, Lailat al-Qadr. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Director of Religious Endowments in Hebron, Tayseer Abu Sneineh, said: "The Israeli occupation authorities will close the Ibrahimi mosque completely for the Muslim worshippers and will reopen the campus and its yards for the settlers on Monday, the 5th of August 2013, to celebrate a Jewish festival on September 1." Abu Sneineh said closing the mosque on such an important night to Muslim worshippers is an infringement on the right of Muslims to free worship in their holy places. Lailat al-Qadr is the night Muslim believe the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed more than 1400 years ago, and it comes on the night before the 27th day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which will this year be on Sunday, August 4. Muslims usually spend the night worshipping and praying. Jamil abou Daoud, director of the mosques in Hebron, said Jewish holidays were being forced upon ?on the Palestinian people. Israel closes the Ibrahimi mosque around 10 times a year. It divided the mosque between Muslims and Jews more than 20 years ago and opens it sometimes for only Muslims on important Muslim holidays and for Jews only on certain Jewish holidays. The rest of the year, both sides pray in their designated corners of the holy place.