Under the pretext of maintenance and with Netanyahu's approval, work is underway at “Ribat al-Kurd” to expand the area for settler prayers
Joint crews from the Israeli municipality, the Antiquities Authority, and police and intelligence forces raided “Ribat al-Kurd”, also known as "Hosh Shihabi," on Monday morning, adjacent to the western wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The occupation authorities removed sheet metal panels and iron supports, and removed bags of dirt and stones from an area within the “Ribat al-Kurd” that had been closed for years. They also removed a container used by residents of the area (as eyewitnesses reported).
The workers began work at the site to prepare for expanding the area for settler prayers in the area they call "the Little Wailing Wall," which they consider an extension of the Western Wall. Israeli media reported that the ongoing work at the site came with the direct approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following months of postponement due to a lack of political consensus. The media reported that the decision came after discussions involving the National Security Council, the Shin Bet security service, and the police, in light of the "political sensitivity" of the site, particularly regarding relations with Jordan, the Hashemite custodian of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.
Ribat al-Kurd: Its name and history
Ribat al-Kurd, or Hosh Shihabi, was built during the Mamluk era in 1294 AD by Prince al-Muqar al-Sayfi Kurd, one of the Mamluk princes, and was named after him. The Ribat was dedicated to providing accommodation, food, and beverage services to pilgrims and visitors coming to Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is located at al-Hadid Gate—one of the gates of Al-Aqsa—in a broad tradition that included the establishment of numerous takayas, zawiyas, schools, and “ribats” in Jerusalem during the Mamluk era, reflecting the religious significance of the city and the care it provides for its visitors.
Later, Palestinian families resided in the “Ribat”, and it was named "Hosh Shihabi" after the family that had overseen it since 1817 AD. In the 1980s, responsibility for the site was transferred to the Islamic Endowments Department, and it was then declared a purely Islamic endowment.
Continued Covetousness in Ribat al-Kurd
This is not the first attack on Ribat al-Kurd. The site has witnessed a series of violations over the decades. Since the beginning of Israeli excavations in the western tunnel extending from Dung Gate to al-Ghawanmeh Gate, the area has been subjected to cracks, landslides, and falling stones from buildings, including Ribat al-Kurd. Iron supports were used to protect the building from the risk of collapse.
In recent years, settler incursions have escalated, with settlers using the site for daily Jewish prayers and placing prayer papers between its walls, as they do at the Western Wall, in an attempt to impose a new religious reality. This has been accompanied by repeated harassment and provocations of the Palestinian residents of the site.
Despite Israeli media claims that these works are aimed at "renovating and maintaining" the so-called "Little Wall," facts on the ground reveal accelerated steps aimed at expanding the area to accommodate a greater number of settlers.
A photo taken from the site shows a rabbi (a Jewish religious leader) supervising the ongoing work at the Ribat al-Kurd (Hosh Shehabi), standing alongside members of the Israeli police who have accompanied the workers since the early morning hours.
