Middle East Eye

Palestinian imam hits back over mosque takeover plans

MEE interviewed the Sheikh of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, just days after Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich announced a settler-led council would seize full control of the site, one of Islam's holiest places. Sheikh Abu Sneineh said that the occupation is "racing against time" to transform the site into a synagogue, as Israeli flags cover its roof and increasing bans on access are placed for Muslims. He denounced the lack of action coming from Islamic countries and linked the issue of the Ibrahimi Mosque with that of Al-Aqsa, which is also being subjected to administrative pressure and constant settler incursions by the Israeli occupation. Support stories that matter. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0fZh5SBxxMNYdg0VzRFkg/join Catch previous episodes of MEE LIVE, our biweekly news programme exploring the stories shaping our world through breaking coverage, expert analysis, and hard-hitting interviews. Originally airing Tuesdays & Thursdays at 12pm ET | 5pm BST Got a story tip or question? Reach us at [email protected] Subscribe to our channel: http://ow.ly/AVlW30n1OWH Subscribe to MEE Telegram channel to stay up to date: https://t.me/MiddleEastEye_TG Middle East Eye Website: https://middleeasteye.net Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@middleeasteye Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/MiddleEastEye Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MiddleEastEye Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye