Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he cancelled the 1997 Hebron Agreement, which governs authority in the occupied West Bank city [1].
This move would strip the Palestinian Hebron municipality of its authority over construction projects. By removing Palestinian Authority control, the decision fundamentally alters the administrative balance in the largest city in the occupied West Bank [1].
The agreement in question was signed in 1997 [1]. It has served as a framework for governance and security in the region for approximately 30 years [2]. Smotrich said the cancellation is intended to shift control of construction and development away from Palestinian officials [1].
However, the Israeli Foreign Ministry has contradicted these assertions. The ministry said the Hebron deal remains intact despite the comments made by Smotrich [2]. This creates a direct conflict between the finance minister's public claims and the official position of the state's diplomatic arm [2].
The dispute centers on the legal status of the three-decade-old accord [2]. While Smotrich maintains the agreement is effectively cancelled, the Foreign Ministry continues to recognize the deal as active [2].
Hebron remains one of the most contested areas in the region. The shift in construction authority would likely impact how urban development, and infrastructure are managed in the city [1].
“Bezalel Smotrich said he cancelled the 1997 Hebron Agreement”
The contradiction between the Finance Minister and the Foreign Ministry highlights internal friction within the Israeli government regarding the Palestinian Authority's role in the West Bank. If the cancellation is enforced, it would signal a significant departure from the 1997 framework and increase direct Israeli control over the urban development of Hebron.
