Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has inaugurated a new mosque in an Arab village in Israel. The $10 million mosque, inaugurated on March 23 in the village of Abu Ghosh, has been named after his father, Akhmet Kadyrov. Isa Jabar, the mayor of the village, said Chechnya donated $6 million toward the construction of the mosque, which started in 2012. With a capacity of 3,000 worshippers, it is one the largest mosques in Israel. The mayor said some villagers trace their ancestry to 16th century Chechnya and the Caucasus region.
Abu Ghosh, located west of Jerusalem, has strong ties with its Jewish neighbors. The village is a popular culinary destination for Israelis.