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 Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of Machpela

The most famous historic site in Hebron is the Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of Machpela. The site is considered to be the second holiest site in Judaism after the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Christianity and Islam also regard it as an important sacred site, due to scriptural references to Abraham.

According to the Genesis, Abraham purchased the cave and the field surrounding it to bury his wife Sarah. Subsequently Abraham, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah were buried in the cave. For this reason, Hebron is also referred to as the City of the Patriarchs in Judaism.

The Ibrahimi Mosque/Cave of Machpela was built over and around the cave. From the Mamluk period in the 13th century, and through the Ottoman rule, Jews were not allowed to enter the site. Instead, they prayed from the staircase outside the entrance. After the Six-Day War, the area came under Israeli control and the restriction hindering Jews from entering was lifted.

After the massacre in 1994, the holy site was divided into a Muslim and a Jewish part with two separate entrances.