Clashes in West Bank’s Hebron During Jewish Celebration

i24 News

The Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

The West Bank city of Hebron saw violent clashes on Saturday as Jewish Israelis spent the weekend in the city for an annual pilgrimage tradition.

Jewish Israelis reportedly marched throughout Palestinian areas of the city on Saturday morning, flying Israeli flags. In response, Palestinians threw stones at the Israelis.

Additionally, reports note that Israel Police and Border Police blocked roads leading in and out of Hebron, turning away those attempting to enter the city.

The Jewish Israelis were in Hebron to celebrate the reading of the Torah portion Chayei Sarah, which tells the story of the biblical figure of Abraham purchasing the Cave of the Patriarchs, located in Hebron, as a burial place for his wife, the matriarch Sarah.

Each year, thousands of Jews gather in Hebron to celebrate the Shabbat when Chayei Sarah is read.

In a separate occurrence on Friday night, one of the bodyguards of far-right lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir was wounded in an altercation in Hebron. The guard was sent to a hospital for medical treatment with no immediate information on his condition being available.

Hebron also saw masked settlers throwing stones at Palestinian homes on Friday night, smashing windows and a car windshield, according to the Yesh Din NGO. Earlier that morning, a Palestinian teenager was arrested with a knife near the city.

The West Bank city of Hebron is unique as it is under shared Israeli-Palestinian control, with the Palestinian Authority responsible for roughly 80 percent of the city.