Hebron's Tomb of the Patriarchs Gets New Roof After Years of Delays
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
A new roof has been installed over the Jacob's Courtyard at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, completing a project that faced years of delays. The work, costing 11 million shekels, was funded by the Civil Administration and completed before Rosh Hashanah.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- New roof installed at Hebron's Tomb of the Patriarchs after years of delays.
- Project aims to improve prayer conditions and site accessibility.
- Cost of the project is estimated at 11 million shekels.
- Delays were caused by Muslim official opposition and administrative issues.
- Construction was overseen by the Civil Administration and Ministry of Defense.
A new roof covering approximately 300 square meters of the interior courtyard of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron was inaugurated on Wednesday, concluding years of administrative and procedural delays. The newly covered "Jacob's Courtyard" was previously exposed to the elements. The installation was completed before the Rosh Hashanah holiday to ensure better prayer conditions for worshippers throughout the year. The project also includes upgrades to the water drainage system and the installation of air conditioning for visitors.
Initial steps for the roofing project began in the early 2000s. In 2007, the plan was presented alongside the construction of an elevator and accessible pathways as part of an initiative to make the entire site accessible to individuals with reduced mobility. However, the project faced significant delays due to opposition from Muslim officials and lengthy administrative processes concerning the Hebron municipality's jurisdiction.
A building permit was finally issued about a year ago, allowing construction to commence. The project, with an estimated cost of 11 million shekels, was funded and overseen by the Civil Administration. The construction was carried out by the engineering and construction department of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, with input from conservation and archaeology specialists.
