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 government is playing with fire and with the security of us all. The Cave of the Patriarchs is considered the fourth holiest site in Islam after Al-Aqsa Mosque, and any unilateral change is perceived by millions of Muslims as a humiliation and an attack on a sacred place. Documents recently exposed by intelligence services revealed the central role that messianic provocations on the Temple Mount — backed by the government — played in Hamas’s preparations for October 7. The government is dragging us into a religious war in the name of a messianic fringe. Anyone who truly cares about the Cave of the Patriarchs should seek an agreement with the Palestinians that would allow for consensual changes to holy sites, with the consent of all parties involved.”
The Cave of the Patriarchs, al-Haram al-Ibrahimi in Hebron
Implications and Risks of the Move:
Harm to a site sacred to millions of Muslims – The Cave of the Patriarchs (Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi) is considered the fourth holiest site in Islam after the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Construction and structural changes at such a sacred site without consent is an extremely sensitive action, perceived as a severe insult and offense by hundreds of millions of Muslims. It is not by chance that every Israeli government since 1967 has decided that the Muslim Waqf will continue to manage the site, even if Israel has eroded its authority over the years.
Severe security risk – More than a century of conflict has shown that many of the most violent rounds of escalation erupted in response to perceived attacks on holy sites (including the 1929 Hebron massacre, the 1990 Temple Mount riots, the 1994 Cave of the Patriarchs massacre, the 1996 tunnel riots, the Second Intifada in 2000, and even the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023).
Violation of international agreements and international law – Israeli construction work at the Cave of the Patriarchs without Palestinian consent would violate the Hebron Agreement, which assigns planning and construction authority at the site to the Palestinian Authority. It would also breach international law and the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and harm a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site. In addition, it is likely that carrying out the work would require the expropriation of parts of the compound from the Waqf — an act also prohibited under international law.
Risk of igniting a religious war – Harm to a site sacred to Jews, Muslims, and Christians could strengthen the religious dimension of the conflict, fuel tensions, and embolden extremists. Management of the site must be conducted with sensitivity, restraint, and in coordination with the Waqf and the Palestinian Authority.
Implications on the Temple Mount? – In recent years, the government and police have allowed extremist Temple Mount activists — and their representatives in government — to alter the status quo on the Temple Mount – al-Haram A-Sharrif and provoke repeated confrontations, which were among the key factors that led to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 (according to intelligence documents). One of the recurring Palestinian concerns is that Israel will replicate the Cave of the Patriarchs model at the Temple Mount: allowing Jewish prayer, physically dividing the compound, or dividing it by time. Israeli construction at the Cave of the Patriarchs could awaken deep fears that Israel intends to implement messianic plans to build a synagogue — or even a temple — on the Temple Mount.
The solution for the Cave of the Patriarchs: an agreement with the Palestinians – Anyone who genuinely wishes to safeguard Israeli interests in the holy sites of the occupied territories must work toward an agreement with the Palestinians, one that addresses the symbolic and religious needs of both sides.