Temporary International Presence in the City of Hebron

The TIPH is an international civilian observer mission. The TIPH assists the parties in the normalisation of the situation in the city and reports on their efforts and the breaches of the agreements on Hebron and international law. TIPH reports to the Palestinian and Israeli authorities and to the six member countries.

 
 

The 1929 massacre

On 23 August 1929, rumours spread in Hebron claiming that riots had broken out in Jerusalem and that the Jews intended to seize the Temple Mount. As a result, religious and political leaders spoke at mass gatherings in the streets of Hebron, calling on Arabs to attack Jews.


On Saturday morning on 24 August 1929, the situation in Hebron was extremely tense. Thousands of Arabs from Hebron and from surrounding villages gathered in the city centre and began to attack Jews. The attacks resulted in a massacre where 67 Jews were killed, and nearly one hundred were injured.


More than 400 Jews sought and received protection by their Arab neighbours. After the massacre, the remaining Jewish inhabitants of Hebron were evacuated to Jerusalem by the British Mandate Authorities. Some returned in 1931, but by April 1936, the last Jews had left Hebron, bringing to an end the longstanding Jewish presence in the city.