Ramallah: Palestine’s acting minister of religious affairs condemned Israel’s demolition of a mosque in the occupied West Bank.
“This is a crime and a blatant attack on Muslims’ feelings,” Hussam Abu al-Rub said in a statement.
Al-Rub also called on the Arab and Muslim world to intervene to stop Israel’s attacks. Using bulldozers, Israeli forces razed the mosque, which was under construction in the town of Umm Qusah south of Hebron, and several structures in the occupied West Bank.
In addition, a livestock structure in Khamis al-Jahalin east of Jerusalem was also bulldozed, an eyewitness said. Two other livestock facilities were demolished in the Bir al-Maskoub community in occupied east Jerusalem. Palestinians say all of the razed structures were located in Area C. Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, was divided into three sections – Areas A, B and C.
Israel can prevent Palestinians from carrying out construction projects in parts of the West Bank designated as Area C under the agreement, which falls under Israel’s administrative and security control. – Agencies
