The Israel Land Authority has recently begun urgent restoration work on the western wall of the historic Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi Mosque in the depopulated village of Hittin. This development comes after extensive legal and field efforts led by the Organization for Human Rights Meezaan – Nazareth, in cooperation with the “Our Waqf” Committee, which operates under the Higher Follow-Up Committee and is tasked with safeguarding religious endowments and holy sites.
The mosque has suffered from severe structural cracks that posed a risk of collapse. It became the focus of legal action spearheaded by Meezaan, represented by attorney Mustafa Suheil Mahamid, which included filing a lawsuit and an official complaint against the prolonged inaction by the relevant authorities.
As’ad Khairallah, head of the “Our Waqf” Committee, explained that the committee had previously submitted a comprehensive restoration plan for the mosque. The plan included a dedicated budget, a specialized contractor, and maintenance workers—leaving no excuse for refusal or delay. He noted that the committee is officially authorized by the court as the body responsible for the waqf, and its demands were presented within a clear legal framework.
As the scheduled court hearing approached, the Israel Land Authority complied with the demands, appointed a contractor, and allocated an emergency budget to initiate the restoration—an attempt to avoid legal embarrassment.
Despite the commencement of restoration work, the “Our Waqf” Committee emphasized that danger still looms in other parts of the mosque, particularly in the walls, corners, and foundations, due to ongoing water infiltration beneath the structure. Accordingly, the committee, through Meezaan, has called for the involvement of an antiquities expert to implement a thorough solution, including pouring concrete into the corners or tiling them with original stones, in a way that preserves the mosque’s historical character and prevents further damage.
It is worth noting that the western wall partially collapsed in March 2024 due to heavy rains. At the time, the “Our Waqf” Committee conducted a site visit with representatives of the Israel Land Authority, during which an agreement was reached to begin restoration. However, the agreement was not implemented, prompting the committee to send an urgent letter in October, which went unanswered.
Meezaan, through its director Attorney Omar Khamaisi, and the “Our Waqf” Committee confirmed that legal and field efforts will continue until the full restoration of the mosque is completed and it is protected as a religious and historical landmark in the depopulated village of Hittin, despite over a year of ongoing delays.
