Palestinian Foreign Ministry: Undermining Hebron and the Ibrahimi Mosque Is a Dangerous Escalation That Demands Accountability

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine rejects any attempt to alter the legal, historical, and political status quo of Hebron and condemns Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s decision to strip the Hebron Municipality of its authority over parts of the city, including the Ibrahimi Mosque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed as endangered.

The Ministry stresses that Israel has no sovereignty over Hebron or any Palestinian city, affirming that the Palestinian people’s ties to Hebron are rooted in historical rights, international law, and an indigenous presence spanning thousands of years. It adds that Israel’s violations of signed agreements, including the 1997 Hebron Protocol, do not create new realities or diminish Palestinian sovereignty.

The Ministry warns that Israel’s continued violations against the Palestinian people and its ongoing impunity will only fuel further escalation, threaten regional stability, and undermine prospects for peace.

It calls on the international community, particularly the United States, to act urgently to halt these illegal measures, uphold international law, and advance efforts toward a two-state solution and an end to the Israeli occupation.