The Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

A week ago, the main prayer hall at the Cave of the Patriarchs was flooded after several hours of rainfall. Video taken on Saturday night, January 6, shows several inches of water in the holy spot.

Prayers that Saturday evening were moved to smaller rooms inside the building.

And this is not the first time that this has happened.

The prayer hall in question is in a courtyard, because the prayer halls in the building are too small to accommodate the worshipers. But this outside prayer hall is only protected by a tarp — because no permission was given by the Muslim Waqf to build a more permanent roof and walls.

According to Israel, the Muslim Waqf is responsible for the maintenance of the building itself.

The Waqf denies that there is any problem, and is claiming that the Jews are the ones damaging the site. They say that any roof added to the courtyard would be a violation of the status quo, and that any repairs would themselves cause harm to the site.

With amazing nerve, the Waqf called on the international community and all legal, cultural and archaeological institutions to stop Jews from taking “actions harmful to this historic religious site.”

The Jewish residents of the area have prepared a plan for a glass roof and walls that would preserve the character of the courtyard — and allow worshipers to pray.

But this is what the Muslim leaders will never allow.