'We are not protected' says Hebron mayor as Israel expands West Bank control
A Palestinian official in the occupied West Bank has described Israel's latest expansion of control there as 'the end of the road' for negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Asma al-Sharabati, acting mayor of Hebron, said new legal changes recently announced by Israeli cabinet ministers would leave Palestinian authorities shut out of decisions on urban planning and development, even in areas under Palestinian control.
Hebron is a regular flashpoint in the West Bank - a divided city, where soldiers guard hundreds of Israeli settlers living alongside Palestinians in an Israeli military garrison.
On Sunday, the Israeli security cabinet passed major changes to the established division of powers in the West Bank, set up three decades ago under the US-backed Oslo Accords, signed by both Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
The new laws allow Israel to expand its control into municipal services in Palestinian-run areas and take authority over 'heritage sites' throughout the West Bank.
Israel also plans to take over planning authority at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, a site of significant religious importance.
Now they can simply put their hands on any building and declare it ancient, and the Palestinian authorities are not part of any decision on urban planning or development of the area, said al-Sharabati.
Hebron's landscape is punctuated by Israeli checkpoints and has seen rising tensions in recent years, affecting the day-to-day lives of Palestinian residents.
Activists believe these changes may signal Israel's broader intention to further annex land in the West Bank, which has already seen significant settlement expansion.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for a firm response from international communities, citing violations of international law and potential disruptions to peace efforts.
As international focus remains on Gaza, the situation in Hebron and the implications of Israel's actions threaten to overshadow ongoing Palestinian aspirations for statehood.
