Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was filmed dancing with dozens, by some estimates, hundreds of Israeli settlers in the courtyard of the Ibrahim Mosque compound in Hebron, during the observance of the Jewish holiday of Lag BaOmer.
It is one of the most sensitive religious sites in the Middle East, holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians, which has been under a strict security regime and physical division between communities for decades. Precisely because of this status, any political or symbolic act in this location has the potential to cause serious tensions.
Smotrich, who is known for his strong support for the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, with this move further fueled accusations from the Palestinian side that the Israeli authorities are systematically changing the status quo on the ground.
According to Palestinian sources, measures have been taken in recent months to limit the management role of Palestinian institutions over the complex. At the beginning of the year, they claim, local managers were denied some of their administrative powers, including planning and management, which they consider a violation of earlier agreements.
At the same time, the security situation on the West Bank has further deteriorated since the fall of 2023. Palestinians warn of increasingly frequent attacks by settlers, as well as restrictions on access to religious sites, while Israeli authorities justify these measures on security grounds.
The Ibrahim Mosque complex has been used by Muslims for more than 1,400 years.
