September 25, 2009

AL-KHALIL, (PIC)-- Close to 150 fanatic Israeli settlers have stormed Friday the Muslim sacred Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil city, south of the West Bank, and desecrated the tomb of Prophet Ishaq peace be upon him, local Palestinian sources confirmed.

According to the sources, the Israeli settlers stormed the sacred Muslim place under the protection of tens of fully-geared Israeli soldiers who watched the settlers performing Talmudic rites in the holy place without preventing them.

The directorate of the Islamic Awkaf in the city confirmed that the incident was the first time the settlers savagely stormed the Muslim holy place since the massacre in the Ibrahimi Mosque in 1994 when fanatic Israeli settler Barouch Goldstein murdered tens of pious Muslims while praying in the Mosque.

The Awkaf also added that the incident comes few days after the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) prohibited Athan (call for prayer) in the Mosque, alleging it was disturbing the settlers.

The Awkaf described the incident as "extremely serious", and warned it could entail adverse repercussions if not halted, urging an Arab and international intervention to protect the Mosque and to prevent the recurrence of another massacre inside it.

The IOA frequently closes the Mosque before Muslim worshippers, and allows fanatic Jews to go inside and desecrate it.