Smotrich Says Hebron Agreements Were Canceled After New Sanctions

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich spoke at the inauguration ceremony for the new settlement of Doran in southern Mount Hebron and said that the so-called Hebron Agreements were canceled the day before. He presented the move as a response to recent sanctions against him.

According to Smotrich, the decision means that planning and building authority over the Jewish community in Hebron and over holy sites, including the Cave of the Patriarchs, is no longer in the hands of Hebron’s municipality. He said those powers have returned to full state control.

Smotrich described the previous arrangement as one of the most absurd parts of the Oslo Accords, arguing that for years authority over the Jewish settlement in Hebron and its holy places had depended on what he called “the terrorist municipality of Hebron.” He added, “Yesterday we put an end to this.”