AL-KHALIL, (PIC)-- The directorate of Awkaf (endowment) in the West Bank city of Al-Khalil has accused the Israeli occupation authorities of banning the Athan (Muslim call for prayer) in the Ibrahimi Mosque more than 48 times during the past month of November.

Zaid Al-Ja’abari, the head of the directorate, explained that the IOA forced the Muathens (those who make the Athan) not to call the Athan so as not to “disturb” the Jewish settlers dwelling near the Mosque, charging that such programmed measures of the IOA were meant to judaize the Mosque.

Local Palestinian sources confirmed that the Israeli occupation soldiers have tightened their security measures on the roads leading to the Mosque and subjected Muslim worshippers to strict inspection.

Not far from the Mosque, the Israeli occupation troops stormed the town of Beit Ummar at down Thursday and arrested five Palestinian citizens after terrorizing their families and wreaking havoc on their homes.

Eyewitnesses in the town confirmed that the IOF troops tore copies of the holy Quran and threw them in the toilet after they stormed the house Palestinian citizen Mohammed Nasser Ayyash before they arrested him.