A senior Palestinian official has warned that Israel’s latest policy shift in the occupied West Bank could mark a decisive break in already fragile peace efforts.
Asma al-Sharabati, acting mayor of Hebron, said new legal measures approved by Israel’s cabinet would effectively sideline Palestinian authorities from urban planning and development decisions — including in areas that were previously administered by the Palestinian Authority.
Hebron has long been one of the most sensitive and contested cities in the West Bank. The city is divided into sectors under Palestinian and Israeli control, with Israeli soldiers stationed to protect a small community of settlers living among a much larger Palestinian population. The arrangement dates back to the framework established under the Oslo Accords, which divided responsibilities between the two sides.
Under the newly approved measures, Israel will expand its authority beyond military oversight into municipal governance in certain Palestinian-run areas. The cabinet has also granted itself broader powers over what it defines as heritage and environmental sites across the territory.
Among the most sensitive changes is Israel’s decision to assume planning authority over the Cave of the Patriarchs, a holy site revered by Jews and Muslims and known to Muslims as the Ibrahimi Mosque. Israeli officials say the move is intended to protect archaeological, environmental and historical assets.
Sharabati argues that the policy will leave Palestinian officials excluded from decisions affecting their own communities. She said her office had not received formal notice and was relying on Israeli media reports for details.
Palestinian activist Issa Amro, who lives in the Israeli-controlled section of Hebron, described the decision as a shift from temporary occupation to what he views as de facto annexation. According to him, previous settlement expansion often occurred without formal legal backing; the new measures, he says, embed such expansion within Israeli law.
The cabinet’s plan also includes extending municipal services to settlers and opening land ownership registration processes to Israeli citizens. Under Palestinian and Jordanian law, Palestinians are prohibited from selling property to non-Palestinians, and land sales to Israelis have historically carried social and legal consequences.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees settlement policy, framed the move as strengthening Israel’s historical and national ties to what Israelis call Judea and Samaria. He said the changes reinforce Israel’s long-term presence and counter the prospect of a Palestinian state.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called for a firm international response, arguing that the decision violates previous agreements and international law. He also urged the United States to intervene diplomatically.
So far, US President Donald Trump has reiterated opposition to formal annexation of the West Bank but has not announced specific measures in response to the latest developments.
International criticism has followed, with the UK government condemning the decision and warning that it risks undermining regional stability. Analysts note that the expansion of Israeli civilian authority in Palestinian-administered areas may complicate broader diplomatic efforts, particularly as discussions continue over Gaza’s future and the wider Middle East peace process.
With tensions already high following the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza, the latest shift in the West Bank could further weaken prospects for renewed negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
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