Security increase in tense Hebron

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Israel has increased security in the West Bank city of Hebron ahead of a Jewish pilgrimage there.

This comes at a time of increased tension in Hebron, where hundreds of Jewish settlers live in the heart of the Palestinian city.

A number of them are currently defying an Israeli high court order to leave a building in the centre of the Palestinian city.

On Wednesday, a mosque and Muslim cemetery were defaced by settlers.

Israeli troops later painted over the offensive graffiti. A soldier was injured in scuffles with settlers, the army said.

Pilgrimage

About 20,000 Jews are expected in the Hebron over the next two days to commemorate the death of the Matriarch Sarah.

The dispute over the strategically located building has raised tensions even higher than usual between settlers and Palestinians in Hebron.

Settlers say they bought the building legally from its Palestinian owner, although he denies the claim.

The Israeli Supreme Court has ordered them to leave the building and set a deadline of Wednesday 19 November for them to go or face a forced eviction.

About 500 settlers live in enclaves in central Hebron in an area under full Israeli military control. The town has about 170,000 Palestinian inhabitants.

Hebron governor Hussein al-Araj urged Israeli authorities to halt the violence and enforce the court decision.

The ministry of defence has said it will implement the order but legal opinion is reportedly divided on whether it must do so within one month.

Hebron is home of some of the most hardline religiously motivated Jewish settlers, and correspondents say the authorities are concerned about the possibility of violent retribution if they are evicted by force.

All Jewish settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.