Cave of the Patriarchs
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The Cave of the Patriarchs is considered to be the spiritual center of the ancient city of Hebron. It lies in the southwest part of the West Bank, in the heart of ancient Judea. It is called in Hebrew Me-arat Hamachpelah (מערת המכפלה): "The Cave of the 'double' caves or tombs", because (according to Jewish tradition) its hidden twin caves are considered to be the burial place of four "pairs" of important Biblical couples: (1) Adam and Eve; (2) Abraham and Sarah; (3) Isaac and Rebekah; (4) Jacob and Leah.
The caves are contained within a stone building dating to the times of Herod the Great. The Muslims later turned part of the building into a mosque which they refer to as the Ibrahimi Mosque (or 'Sanctuary of Abraham', Arabic: الحرم الإبراهيمي Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi ▶(?)).
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Book of Genesis
It is mentioned as having been purchased by the Biblical (Hebrew Patriarch) Abraham, as a burial plot for his family after his wife Sarah dies (Book of Genesis, 23 [1]): "He bought a plot of land near Hebron from Ephron the Hittite, the Cave of Mechpelah, for 400 shekels of silver. There he buried his wife Sarah." Later Abraham himself, Isaac and Rebekah, then Jacob and Leah were buried there. (Rachel was buried near Bethlehem). This site is now known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs or Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs and is a holy site for both Jews and Muslims.
Judaism
Judaism considers the site the second most sacred site after the Temple Mount,[2][3] as well as the first material purchase of real estate by the Hebrew Abraham in the Land of Canaan (the "Promised Land"). According to Jewish tradition, four Biblical and primal patriarchal couples mentioned in the Book of Genesis are buried there:
Islam
It is known to Muslims as the Ibrahimi Mosque, as Abraham is a revered prophet of Islam who, according to the Qur'an, built the Kaaba in Mecca with his son Ishmael. Today, the city of Hebron is populated mostly by Palestinian Muslims. A large structure built by Herod the Great is on the site, and after the conquest of the city by Umar it was rebuilt as a mosque under the control of the Muslim Waqf, a traditional "trust" holding land for Islamic religious purposes. During the Crusades when Christians were in control of the site, it was a church.
Status
Both Judaism and Islam agree that entombed within are the Biblical and Quranic patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) as well as three matriarchs (Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah). Their graves are made inaccessible by the cenotaphs that cover them. Jews are not permitted to visit Isaac and Rebekah's Tomb in Isaac Hall except for about 9 days a year on special Jewish days because Muslims control 81% of the building. The Israeli authorities also don't allow Jewish religious authorities the right to maintain the site and only allow Muslims to do so. The cave is the second holiest site in Judaism (after the Temple Mount) and holds considerable theological significance to Islam and Christianity as well.
Conflict
When the city was under the control of the Ottoman Turks, Jews were forbidden to enter and were only permitted to pray outside a few steps up the entering stairway.
When Israel captured the area during the 1967 Six Day War, it is said that then Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan was given the keys and was supposedly shown the actual secret hidden passageways that lead to the below-ground tombs.
In 1994, militant Jewish fundamentalist Baruch Goldstein killed 29 Palestinian Muslims during prayers at the site.
The Wye River Accords provided a temporary status agreement for the site and Hebron itself.
Current situation
Since the eruption of the Intifada, the site has allegedly been the subject of many attacks, directed towards Jews in prayer. The Israel Defense Forces has surrounded the site with soldiers and forbidden Palestinians from entering the area.
