Israel strips Palestinian Authority of planning and construction powers in Hebron affecting a site holy to Jews and Muslims, according to multiple reports. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says Israel is scrapping parts of an arrangement that has been in place since the 1990s. The 1997 Hebron Agreement had granted Palestinians planning and construction authority across Hebron, covering areas including the Jewish Tomb of the Patriarchs and the adjoining Ibrahimi Mosque.
The actions described take place in the occupied West Bank. Several outlets characterize the move as affecting a flashpoint location at a shrine shared by multiple faiths, and report Palestinian condemnation in response. Reuters and other outlets report that Israel’s decision removes the Palestinian role in planning and construction for the relevant area, rather than altering the site’s religious status itself. The reports focus on the change in governance over development activities stemming from the 1997 agreement, and on Palestinian criticism of Israel’s step.
