Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi
The Ibrahimi Mosque is located in the southeastern corner of the modern city of Hebron, though in ancient times it was situated in the city center, surrounded by neighborhoods on all sides. Considered the fourth holiest site in Islam and the second holiest in Palestine after the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Ibrahimi Mosque derives its sanctity from being the resting place of the prophets Abraham, his wife Sarah, their son Isaac, grandson Jacob, and their wives Rebecca and Leah.
This important architectural structure was built within the wall established by King Herod, the ruler of Palestine in the early Roman period (37-4 BC). Constructed of massive carved stones, some over 7.5 meters long and 1 meter wide, the mosque walls exceed 15 meters in height. During the Byzantine period, a church was built inside the wall, but it was demolished during the Persian invasion of Palestine in 614 AD.
After the Arab Islamic conquest of Palestine in 638 AD, the Ibrahimi Mosque received special attention. Shrines were built over the prophets' graves, and the site became a major pilgrimage destination for Muslims from around the world during the Arab-Islamic period.
In 1100 AD, the Crusaders fortified the city and transformed the Ibrahimi Mosque into a church, known as the "Castle of Saint Abraham." Saladin regained the site in 1187 AD, reconverting it into a mosque and adding four minarets, two of which remain today.
Under the British Mandate after World War I, the "Supreme Islamic Council" oversaw improvements to the mosque's architecture. During Jordan's rule over Hebron from 1948 to 1967, further renovations were carried out.
However, the Ibrahimi Mosque has faced significant challenges since the 1967 Israeli occupation of Hebron. Israeli settlers have repeatedly attacked the mosque, seeking to turn it into a Jewish temple. The most infamous incident was the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre in 1994, when a Jewish extremist killed 29 Palestinian worshippers. In the aftermath, the Israeli authorities divided the mosque, allocating 60% of its area for Jewish use and the remaining 40% for Muslim worshippers, with strict security measures and checkpoints enforcing the segregation.