International law prohibits an occupying power from closing mosques unless there is an "imperative military necessity," but this is highly restrictive. The destruction of religious buildings is forbidden, and intentionally targeting them is a war crime. An occupying power must protect the civilian population and their property, including cultural and religious sites, and can only seize or destroy private property if absolutely necessary for military operations.
International law prohibits the desecration of mosques and other cultural and religious sites by an occupying power, which has a duty to respect and protect them under conventions like the Hague Regulations and Geneva Conventions. The Israeli occupying belligerent must not impose far-reaching changes on the existing order, and the freedom of worship must be ensured, with a call for the international community to intervene when these laws are violated.
International law prohibits the Israeli occupying belligerent from damaging mosques, classifying the intentional destruction of buildings dedicated to religion as a war crime. This protection stems from the principles that cultural heritage is the heritage of all mankind and must be safeguarded during armed conflict, as outlined in the 1954 Hague Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Israeli occupying belligerent has specific obligations to protect the civilian population and civilian property, and damaging cultural or religious sites can violate the principles of proportionality and distinction, potentially leading to grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions.
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When acts and or activities by the Israeli annexing belligerent targeting the colonized people are systematic, and or are on a large scale, we consider these acts and activities as shown in the 'breadcrumbs'. This does not include violations, as they refer to resorting to breaches of rules and international law.
- You are viewing a selection from our huge archives, but it is representative of the situation, which has been in the West Bank for years, but currently in an escalated form of exploiting the "war" in Gaza.
- Dates refer to the day when a video or photo was posted on the account of a social media user, or published by a source in the public domain, when it concerns a publication.
- Credit: photographers, videographers, reporters, and journalists in the West Bank, news agencies, and other sources.
- Details
- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20251231 - Hebron, occupied West Bank - Israeli occupation approves roofing the courtyard of the Ibrahimi Mosque

- Details
- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20251230 - east of Nablus, occupied West Bank - Israeli occupation forces ordering Palestinians to leave their homes to clear colonists to storm Joseph's tomb (with comment)
- Details
- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20251223 - Hebron, occupied West Bank - Footage shows colonists inside the Ibrahimi Mosque
- Details
- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20251203 - Misilya, south of Jenin - Israeli occupation soldiers vandalized Palestinian graves during a razzia
- Details
- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20251127 - west of Salfit, occupied West Bank - Colonizing terrorists set fire inside the al-Falah Mosque in the Abu Zain area north of Bidya
- Details
- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20251113 - Salfit, occupied West Bank - Israeli settler mobs set fire to a mosque located between Deir Istiya and Kifl Haris (4 photos)
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- Details
- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20251113 - west of Salfit, occupied West Bank - Settlers set fire to a mosque in the town of Deir Istiya
- Details
- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20251112 - At Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque, Israeli MK Zvi Sukkot interrupted Muslim prayers in the Isaac Hall, entering with his shoes on
- Details
- Parent Category: ARMED ANNEXING BELLIGERENT
- Category: Targeting religion
20250923 - Hebron, West Bank - Israeli occupation forces resort to religious apartheid.
