Palestinian protesters mark 1994 al-Khalil mosque massacre

Dozens of Palestinians have taken to the streets in the occupied West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron) to peacefully mark the anniversary of a 1994 massacre carried out by an Israeli settler at a mosque.

On Friday, Israeli soldiers used stun grenades to disperse crowds of Palestinians who gathered to mark the February 25 massacre of 29 Muslims praying at the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil.

Reports say a Palestinian demonstrator and a journalist were detained by Israeli forces.

They demanded the reopening of the key thoroughfare known as “Martyrs Street” or Shuhada Street, which has been closed to Palestinians since the incident.

The protesters also slammed the Tel Aviv regime’s illegal settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian lands as they gathered near the Israeli settlement of Kyriat Arba.

Kyriat Arba was the home of Baruch Goldstein, the settler who opened fire on the Palestinian worshipers at the Ibrahimi Mosque. The assailant was then beaten to death after the killings.

In 2000, Israel declared the area a “closed military zone,” only allowing Palestinians to access the area by foot.

The demonstration comes amid ongoing tensions between Israelis and Palestinian protesters in the occupied territories. Nearly 190 Palestinians have been killed since the outbreak of violence last October.

Palestinians are angry at what they say is a covert plan by the Israelis to change the status quo of the al-Aqsa Mosque, a highly revered place for the Muslims in the occupied East al-Quds (Jerusalem.)

They have also raised concerns over a growing trend of settler attacks on Palestinian houses and properties in the West Bank, which they say could be a sign of Israel’s plans for more illegal settlement activities there.

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