Israel seizes control of a mosque in the West Bank from the Palestinians Israel-Palestine War News

The mayor of the city of Hebron warns of changes in the agreements that violate the agreement, which will have serious consequences for the stability of the region.

Israel has seized planning and construction powers at the Ibrahimi Mosque in the West Bank from the Palestinian Authority, removing parts of the agreement that dates back to the 1990s, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday.

Under the 1997 Hebron Agreement, the Palestinians took control of planning and construction throughout the city of Hebron, including the Jewish Cemetery of the Patriarchs and the neighboring Ibrahimi Mosque.

“Yesterday we canceled the Hebron contracts,” Smotrich said at the opening ceremony of the Doran site south of Mount Hebron.

Although the decision was made on Monday night by Israel’s High Planning Commission, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a tweet that “contrary to what the Minister of Finance said, the Hebron Agreement has not been concluded”.

It added that the cabinet decision made a few months ago spoke to the planning and construction authorities in Jewish settlements and only in Jewish areas, regarding the total disagreement with the Hebron government.

“Furthermore, no changes have been made,” it said.

Palestinian officials, meanwhile, dismissed Smotrich’s announcement as illegal.

“Such inconsistent measures are unacceptable and violate the agreements signed by the Israeli side, as well as international law,” the office of President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement, calling on countries and the United States in particular to take immediate action to stop “the most dangerous phase”.

The mayor of Hebron, Yusuf al-Jabari, said that the agreements are “a political system that governs the administration, security and services of Hebron”, and that any change that is not in line with what other countries have agreed on is a “serious violation” that has serious consequences.

The Hebron Agreement, signed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former PLO chairman Yasser Arafat, divided the city into two parts.

Israel has maintained security on H2, which includes Jewish settlement and Ibrahim Mosquealso known as the Cave of the Patriarchs, where the government authorities, including maintenance and construction, remained with the Palestinian town.

This mosque has been around for a long time an important part of the settlement, who took control of half of the land following the first plan. In 2017, Palestine inscribed the Old City of Hebron and the Mosque of Ibrahim on the World Heritage and World Heritage in Danger lists maintained by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

“After the government promised to win and failed on all sides, Smotrich the pyromaniac is trying to set fire to the West Bank,” said the Israeli peace group Peace Now, adding that the move was politically motivated.

“This is a dangerous and irresponsible step by a failed politician who is willing to destroy Israel’s interests and security in order to get a few votes from the right,” it said.

Palestinians say the move is the latest in a series of attacks on Israel establishment of the West Bank.