After six years of planning, Israel began construction on an electric elevator that would permit handicapped access to the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. In response, the Palestinian Authority ordered all the mosques in the city to be closed on Friday and called for all Palestinians to go to the site to protest. 

قوات الاحتلال تعتدي بالضرب على المصلين وتطلق قنابل الغاز والصوت لإفراغ ساحات المسجد pic.twitter.com/kaBXuOqgQO

— وكالة صفا (@SafaPs) August 13, 2021

The protests turned violent and IDF troops tasked with protecting the site resorted to non-lethal crowd control measures.

شاهد: قوات الاحتلال تعتدي على المصلين في #المسجد_الإبراهيمي وتمنع آخرين من الوصول إليه للتصدي للممارسات التهويدية. pic.twitter.com/uaMCS4FCZX

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) August 13, 2021

It should be noted that the site is considered holy by both Jews and Muslims and as such, is accessible to people of all religions. The handicapped access will benefit all visitors. Currently, the only access to the structure involves walking numerous steps and wheelchair-bound visitors are either restricted from going or need to be carried. 

Construction began on Sunday and is expected to continue for six months. The project received final authorization from Defense Minister Benny Gantz and will be overseen by the Planning & Construction department within the Defense Ministry and under the supervision of the head of archeological affairs in the regional authority.

The PA announced that it is vehemently opposed to any changes to the site, accusing Israel of “Judaizing” it, according to Palestinian Media Watch. The Palestinians have also described it as an “invasion of Hebron… as a service for the settlers who want to strengthen the settlement in this area.”

As Minister of Defense, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, gave support for the project, emphasizing the Jewish connection to the site. 

“We have greenlighted the elevator project to end the many years of discrimination at the site. Every person, irrespective of whether or not they are disabled, should have the opportunity to visit the tomb, which is an important Jewish heritage site,” Bennett tweeted in Hebrew in May 2020, “The cave has belonged to us, to the people of Israel, since Abraham purchased it with his own money 3,800 years ago. It is a great reward to play a role in this.’’

In 2017, the  United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), declared the Biblical section of the city of Hebron to be a Palestinian World Heritage site endangered by Israel as “Israel was responsible for damage and vandalism there”.