Violation: prohibition of mosque rehabilitation
Location: Bani Na’im- Hebron governorate
Date: August 31, 2015
Perpetrators: the Israeli occupation army
Details:
The Israeli occupation authorities on August 31, 2015 stopped rehabilitation works on the ancient mosque of Yaqin founded in the town of Bani Na’im.
According to Bani Na’im municipality, some Israeli soldiers approached the town from a watchpost established nearby the mosque and sent rehabilitation workers out under the claim of working without the permission of Israel Civil Administration.
Bani Na’im department of Public Affairs asserted that they received a phone call from the army commander, compelling them to halt the rehabilitation works.
After the five workers were sent out from the rehabilitation site, soldiers monitored the mosque and banned anyone from approaching it.
It should be marked that colonists form Bani Haifer wander in the compound of the mosque, set up tents and throw parties in the area as if it is a touristic site. The watchpost is reported to be built in 2000 to monitor the area and provide protection for the nearby colonists.
Yaqin Mosque:
The shrine of Yqin is located in the area of Bani Na’im. It is 900m above sea level. The structure is (10m*7m) and has a footstep stone in the middle of it. Next to the shrine, there is a cave with a coffin inside; it is believed that the coffin was build over the tomb of Fatima Bint Al-Hussein Bint Ali Bin Abi Talib. The site totals 35 dunums in area and overlooks the area of Masafer Bani Na’im .
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC