The Arab League called for sending international protection forces to the occupied Palestinian territories, namely the West Bank city of Hebron, in the southern part, Shehab News Agency has reported.
Marking the 26th anniversary of the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre carried out by an extremist Israeli-American Jewish settler, identified as Baruch Goldstein, 26 years ago, 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 colonialist settlers, 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 Fourth Geneva Convention that prevents such massacres and other serious violations against unarmed citizens living under occupation.
“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, Goldstein opened fire on Palestinian worshippers during Fajr (dawn) prayer at the mosque, killing 29 and wounding about 200 others, before they overcame him and killed him.
During protests against the massacre, the Israeli occupation forces killed 20 Palestinians and wounded over 150.
After the massacre in the holy site, Israeli soldiers killed, on the same day, an additional 21 Palestinians who took to the streets in the occupied territories to protest.
Since then, the Israeli army 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.
