Israeli Forces Evacuate Hebron City Center to Secure Access for Settlers

Kokcha News Agency reports that Israeli forces closed off Beersheba Street and dozens of businesses in the center of Hebron to allow Israeli settlers access to a site they consider sacred.

According to eyewitnesses, the Israeli military secured the routes leading to the Tomb of the Patriarchs (known as the Cave of the Patriarchs to Jews), after which groups of settlers entered Beersheba Street and performed religious rituals at the site.

The settlers believe that the tomb of a Jewish figure who once lived in Hebron is located in the basement of a Palestinian home. However, Palestinians deny the existence of the tomb at the location.

Hebron, a city in the southern West Bank, has long been a flashpoint for tensions between Israeli settlers and Palestinians. The Israeli military frequently imposes restrictions on Palestinian movement and closes businesses to facilitate settler access to religious sites.

• Palestinians: Many Palestinians view the military’s actions as part of a broader strategy to displace them and expand Israeli control over the West Bank.
• Settlers: The settlers see their presence in Hebron as a religious and historical right, often leading to confrontations with the local Palestinian population.