Israel Takes Over Planning Powers in Hebron’s Jewish Areas

Israel has transferred planning and construction authority in the Jewish areas of Hebron from the Palestinian-run Hebron municipality to the Israeli state. The article presents the move, announced by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister and Defense Ministry Minister Bezalel Smotrich, as more than an administrative change and as a practical assertion of sovereignty.

According to the piece, the previous arrangement left Jewish sites and the Jewish community in Hebron dependent on a foreign Arab authority for nearly three decades. It argues that the transfer ends what it calls an absurd situation dating back about 30 years, when the Hebron municipality had a role in decisions affecting Jews in the city.

The author says the step challenges the Oslo Accords and reflects a wider shift in Judea and Samaria, where settlement expansion and new farms are said to be growing while Israeli public acceptance of the A, B and C territorial divisions is weakening. The article adds that Oslo not only divided the land, but also fostered hopes for a Palestinian state in the heart of the country, while more than 1,500 Jews have been killed in terrorism since the accords were signed.

Even if Oslo had been fully implemented, the author says Israel should not surrender the land, described as a historic inheritance and a trust for future generations. The piece stresses that full sovereignty would still require a formal national decision by the government or Knesset, but says the Hebron move is a significant step toward that goal. It concludes that Hebron is not the end point, but a marker on the way to Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.