Israel minister’s proposal for new settlement in Hebron ‘result of US policy,’ Palestinians say

Palestinian officials denounced a move by Israel’s new hard-right defence minister yesterday after he ordered officials to plan a Jewish settlement in the heart of the divided West Bank city of Hebron.

“Israel’s decision to build a new illegal settlement in occupied Hebron is the first tangible result of the US decision to legitimise colonisation,” said Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation.

On November 18, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a reversal of America’s long-time policy of classifying Israeli settlements as illegal. Almost all other countries, the UN and international organisations deem the settlements to be illegal.

“Concrete measures, including sanctions against settlements, are an international responsibility,” Mr Erekat said.

The announcement came as the prospects of a third snap election since April loomed larger, with Defence Minister Naftali Bennett’s New Right party leaning heavily on settlers for support at the polls.

The Defence Ministry said Mr Bennett had instructed ministry departments responsible for the Israeli-occupied West Bank “to notify the Hebron municipality of planning a new Jewish neighbourhood in the wholesale market complex”.

The area is on Shuhada Street, once a bustling thoroughfare leading to a holy site where the biblical Abraham is believed to have been buried. The street is now largely closed off to Palestinians, who have repeatedly demanded that it be reopened.

On Saturday, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man south-west of Hebron, with the

army saying he was throwing petrol bombs at a military vehicle. About 800 Israeli settlers live in the ancient city under heavy military protection amid about 200,000 Palestinians.

Yesterday’s statement said the planned new building project would “double the number of Jewish residents in the city”.

The move comes at a time of political turmoil in Israel after general elections in April and September ended in deadlock. MPs have until December 11 to find a solution or allow parliament to again be dissolved.

At yesterday’s weekly Cabinet meeting, Mr Netanyahu also offered good news for the settlers, pledging 40 million shekels (Dh42.3m) for security.

“We are strengthening the security components in the communities in Judea and Samaria, of the Israeli citizens there,” he said, using the biblical terms for the West Bank.