Palestinians marked the 22nd anniversary of the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre with a protest calling to end collective punishment and open Shuhadaa street. In the early morning hours of 25 February 1994, Barukh Goldstein, a settler from Kiryat Arba entered the Ibrahimi Mosque and fired his automatic weapon at Muslim worshipers, killing 29 of them, inuring 125. Goldstein, who was killed by survivors, was buried in Kiryat Arba and revered by many settlers. Palestinians bore the brunt of his actions, when the Israeli army closed Shuhadaa street, formerly a bustling commercial area in the old city, to the movement of Palestinians, allowing only Jewish settlers and foreign tourists. the street not only remains closed, but in recent months, Israel has stepped up its repression of Palestinians in Hebron, shuttering many more stores, and registering resident Palestinians in a move that is designed to facilitate settler takeover of properties. Since October, 18 Palestinians have been shot and killed on Hebron streets by soldiers who alleged knife attacks. Many more have been rounded up and arrested.
Today, protested attempted to march towards Kiryat Arba, where Goldstein lives and is buried, but the Israeli army, expecting them, attacked marchers with tear gas and stun grenades. The soldiers targeted photojournalists, and one Palestinian reporter was arrested.
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