Smotrich declares Hebron pact cancelled as Foreign Ministry denies change

Smotrich's announcement

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared on Tuesday that he had cancelled the 1997 Hebron Agreement, a nearly three-decade-old arrangement with the Palestinian Authority. In a post on X, Smotrich wrote that numerous powers in the divided city of Hebron and at its holy sites, including the Tomb of the Patriarchs, would no longer lie with the Palestinian municipality but "return fully to the responsibility of the State of Israel." He described the move as a "historic correction" and part of a broader "revolution" to legalize settlements and deepen Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.

I have cancelled the Hebron Agreement.

Foreign Ministry denial

Within hours, the Israeli Foreign Ministry contradicted Smotrich's claim, issuing a statement that "contrary to the finance minister's statement, the Hebron Agreement was not cancelled." The ministry clarified that a decision by the security cabinet months earlier had transferred authority over planning and construction in the Jewish quarter of Hebron and Jewish holy sites to Israeli bodies, but no other changes had been made. The statement noted that the city's Palestinian administration had failed to cooperate in these matters for years.

Palestinian reaction

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, via the Wafa news agency, warned of "serious consequences" and called on the international community to intervene immediately to reverse the "extremely dangerous" decision. Abbas argued the step undermines efforts toward a peaceful resolution based on a two-state solution.

There will be serious consequences. Immediate international intervention is needed to reverse this extremely dangerous decision.

The militant group Hamas called Smotrich's move an "unprecedented political and military escalation" and urged Palestinians to "strengthen all forms of resistance."

This is an unprecedented political and military escalation. All forms of resistance must be strengthened.

Israeli domestic criticism

The Israeli peace organization Peace Now condemned the decision as a "dangerous and irresponsible step by a failed politician." It said the government had failed on all fronts in the regional war, and now "the arsonist Smotrich is trying to set the occupied West Bank on fire."

This is a dangerous and irresponsible step by a failed politician. The arsonist Smotrich is trying to set the occupied West Bank on fire.

Background and implications

The 1997 Hebron Agreement was brokered under the first government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It divided the city, with Israel retaining control of roughly one-fifth to protect several hundred mainly radical Jewish settlers, while the rest of the city (about 200,000 Palestinians) remained under Palestinian civil authority. The pact required Palestinian municipal approval for certain planning and construction activities in the Jewish section and near holy sites. According to Israeli news portal ynet, the new step transfers those powers to Israeli planning authorities. Government representatives also said the Hebron municipality would no longer provide municipal services such as garbage collection or building permits to the Jewish quarter, with Israeli authorities and the military assuming full responsibility. The conflicting signals from within Israel's own government create uncertainty, and with settler violence against Palestinians reported in recent months, the move risks further inflaming the situation.