Palestinian groups warned over a visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog to the Ibrahii Mosque in Al-Khalil (Hebron) in a move seen as provocative by Palestinians.
In a statement, Hamas Resistance movement said Herzog’s visit to celebrate a Jewish holiday was a “a flagrant violation of the site’s sanctity,” calling on Palestinians to confront Israeli occupation forces at the scene.
“The occupation bears full responsibility for the repercussions of this attack” on the site, Hamas warned.
“We call on the masses of our people in the West Bank and our people in the city of Hebron to confront this provocative step and to confront the attack on the Ibrahimi Mosque,” Hamas said.
Herzog is set light the first candle of the so-called Hanukkah on Sunday, accompanied by Zionist settler leaders at the Ibrahimi Mosque, called by Jews as “Tomb of Patriarchs.”
The Resistance group also urged protest in Al-Quds’ (Jerusalem) Old City in response to plans to hold a candle-lighting ceremony at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
For its part, Palestinian Authority condemned Herzog’s move. In a statement, Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the visit was “provocative and rejected.”
“Youths against Settlements” group also denounced the visit, with its head Issa Amro considering it a “clear violation of the international law.”
Amro said Herzog’s move indicates the real approach of the occupation regime in backing extremist Zionists.
On the other hand, Herzog has also angered members of the left-leaning Meretz party, which is part of the broad coalition government ruling the occupation entity. Michal Rozin, a Meretz Knesset member, tweeted that Herzog’s decision is “wrong.”
Source: Israeli and Palestinian media
