Israel has formally assumed planning and construction powers at one of the most sensitive religious sites in the West Bank, ending an arrangement that had been in place for nearly three decades.
The move affects the Tomb of the Patriarchs, known to Muslims as the Ibrahimi Mosque, in the city of Hebron. The site is revered by both Jews and Muslims and has long stood at the centre of tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Tuesday that he had approved the transfer of authority from the Palestinian Authority to Israeli officials.
Under the 1997 Hebron Agreement, planning and construction powers in the city, including around the shrine, were administered by the Palestinian Authority.
Smotrich described the decision as a "historic step" that would strengthen Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank. The far-right minister made the announcement during an event marking the establishment of a new Israeli settlement near Hebron.
The Palestinian Authority strongly condemned the move. The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said it was an infringement on Hebron's political and legal status and a violation of international law.
For many Palestinians, the decision is another sign of growing Israeli control over territory they hope will form the core of a future independent state. Israel captured the West Bank during the 1967 Middle East war, but its claim to sovereignty over the territory is not recognised internationally.
The announcement comes at a sensitive time. Israel is expected to hold elections by the end of October, and Smotrich, a settler himself, has long advocated the annexation of the West Bank. His political support is closely tied to the settler movement, which views the territory as part of the Jewish biblical homeland.
The transfer of powers was originally approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet in February. It forms part of a broader push to expand Israeli authority in the West Bank and make it easier for settlers to acquire land.
Settlement expansion has accelerated in recent years under Smotrich's influence. The growth has been accompanied by rising violence across the territory.
Hebron remains one of the most divided and emotionally charged cities in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 1994, a Jewish settler killed 29 Muslim worshippers at the Ibrahimi Mosque, an attack that continues to shape relations around the site.
The shrine remains sacred to both faiths and is viewed by many as a symbol of the wider struggle over land, identity and sovereignty in the West Bank.
According to United Nations data, settlers have killed 13 Palestinians so far this year. Most countries and United Nations bodies consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, a position Israel rejects, citing historical, religious and security arguments.
The latest move is likely to deepen concerns among international observers, who fear it could further complicate prospects for a negotiated two-state solution and increase tensions on the ground.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. T...
Two British hackers who carried out a cyberattack on Transport for London (TfL) that cost the transport authority £29 million to remediate have been ...
Officials from more than 20 oil-producing countries have agreed on a roadmap to strengthen international cooperation in the oil industry during a meet...
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
Two British hackers who carried out a cyberattack on Transport for London (TfL) that cost the transport authority £29 million to remediate have been jailed for a total of 11 years.
Officials from more than 20 oil-producing countries have agreed on a roadmap to strengthen international cooperation in the oil industry during a meeting in Azerbaijan. The plan aims to deepen collaboration across key areas, including markets, technology, investment and regulation.
As the 2026 Fifa World Cup tournament draws to a close, there’s much to anticipate and yet so much to look back at.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
Officials from more than 20 oil-producing countries have agreed on a roadmap to strengthen international cooperation in the oil industry during a meeting in Azerbaijan. The plan aims to deepen collaboration across key areas, including markets, technology, investment and regulation.
Peace. Prosperity. New political forces. A technology-driven economy. Following Armenia’s parliamentary election, AnewZ took to the streets of Yerevan to ask people how they imagine their country five years from now.
President Ilham Aliyev has reaffirmed Azerbaijan's support for an independent Palestinian state during talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in Baku on Wednesday (15 July).
The Armenian government has advanced the ratification process for the Framework Agreement on Strategic Cooperation with the United States on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project, taking the next formal step towards its entry into force.
Azerbaijan and UN-Habitat have signed a cooperation agreement to support sustainable urban development in the East Zangezur Economic Region. The partnership will focus on designing smart, resilient and inclusive settlements in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment