By Wallace Mawire
Palestine Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Tamer Almassri, has condemned in the strongest terms the continued Israeli aggression against the Hebron Governorate, now entering its fourth consecutive day, marked by intensified raids, the deployment of military reinforcements, sweeping closures, the seizure of Palestinian vehicles, assaults on civilians, forced displacement, and a total lockdown.
He said approximately 3,000 Palestinians have been displaced from Hebron, as Israel extends its campaign of ethnic cleansing to the West Bank city, as it has done to Gaza.
He said the measures have caused a severe deterioration in humanitarian and living conditions, restricting residents’ movement, disrupting livelihoods, and placing an unbearable burden on displaced and affected families.
He added that the systematic demolitions, mass displacement, and collective punishment of Palestinians constitute flagrant violations of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.
Ambassador Almassri further condemned Israel’s ongoing violations against Hebron’s sacred sites, including the continued closure of the Ibrahimi Mosque, or Sanctuary of Abraham, and the obstruction of worshippers’ access to it, which represent a blatant assault on freedom of worship and the sanctity of holy places.
The State of Palestine has also called on the international community and the United Nations Security Council to take immediate and effective action to halt the aggression against Hebron, prevent the forcible displacement of its residents, ensure accountability for the crimes committed by the occupying power, and provide urgent international protection for the Palestinian people.