‘Israeli’ Occupation Forces Close down Al-Khalil’s Old City Ahead of Netanyahu’s Visit

By Staff, Agencies

‘Israeli’ occupation forces on Wednesday morning closed down Palestinian stores and ordered Palestinian students to vacate their schools in al-Khalil’s [Hebron] Old City in anticipation of the Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit.

According to local activists, the ‘Israeli’ forces tightened restrictions in al-Khalil’s old city, closing Palestinian stores along the area from al-Salaymeh to Tel Rumeida besides to Wadi al-Husayn and Jaber neighborhoods.

He added that soldiers ordered Palestinian students out of their schools in the old city, including Qurtuba School purportedly in preparation for the visit.

Netanyahu is set to deliver a speech at the Ibrahimi Mosque.

The city of al-Khalil, which houses the Ibrahimi Mosque, is home to roughly 160,000 Palestinian Muslims and about 800 aggressive ‘Israeli’ settlers who live in compounds heavily guarded by occupation troops.

Palestinians of the city face a large ‘Israeli’ military presence on a daily basis with at least 32 permanent and partial checkpoints set up at the entrances of many streets.

Since the 1994 Ibrahimi Mosque massacre that claimed the lives of 29 Palestinians, Palestinians have not been allowed to access the main al-Shuhada Street and have had their homes and shops on the street welded shut.