Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • PM Modi in Manipur
  • Charlie Kirk killer
  • Sushila Karki
  • IND vs PAK
  • India-US ties
  • New human organ
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Movie Review
fp-logo
Another Palestine: 5 Hebron residents propose breakaway emirate, stir outrage
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • World
  • Another Palestine: 5 Hebron residents propose breakaway emirate, stir outrage

Another Palestine: 5 Hebron residents propose breakaway emirate, stir outrage

FP News Desk • July 7, 2025, 09:36:57 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

5 sheikhs for Herbon sent a letter to Israel’s Economy Minister Nir Barkat demanding to join the Abraham Accords as a separate emirate. The sheikhs are calling for independence from the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, questioning the two-state solution

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
Another Palestine: 5 Hebron residents propose breakaway emirate, stir outrage
Israeli security in the West Bank city of Hebron, June 28, 2025. AP

A group of five prominent sheikhs in the West Bank ’s Hebron district sent a letter to the Israeli authorities expressing their desire to join the Abraham Accords as a separate emirate and have peace with Israel.

The letter was addressed to Economy Minister Nir Barkat , in which they expressed their desire to break off from the Palestinian Authority and establish Hebron as an emirate. The sheikhs assured that they would “recognise [s] the State of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people.”

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

In return, they demanded that the “State of Israel shall recognise the Emirate of Hebron as the Representative of the Arab residents in the Hebron District.” The sheikhs of Herbon argued that the proposed arrangement was “fair and recent”. They suggested replacing the Oslo Accords, which they believed “only brought damage, death, economic disaster and destruction.”

More from World
Israeli strike kills 10 children queuing outside medical centre in Gaza Israeli strike kills 10 children queuing outside medical centre in Gaza Israeli military's use of Palestinians as human shields in Gaza is systematic, says Osint report Israeli military's use of Palestinians as human shields in Gaza is systematic, says Osint report

While speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Barkat noted that the letter indicated that the old two-state paradigm has failed, and that the Palestinian Authority is not trusted among its people and in Israel.

In the explosive report, the American news outlet also revealed that Barkat hosted Sheikh Wadee’ al-Jaabari — one of the most influential Hebron clan leaders and the spearhead of the initiative — and other sheikhs at his home in Jerusalem for dozens of meetings since February.

“Sheikh Jaabari wants peace with Israel and to join the Abraham Accords, with the support of his fellow sheikhs. Who in Israel is going to say no?” Barkat said. “There will be no Palestinian state—not even in 1,000 years,” Jaabari tells the newspaper. “After October 7, Israel will not give it.”

Impact Shorts

More Shorts
‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

It is pertinent to note that Jaabari has long condemned the PA and backed greater cooperation with Israeli settlers. However, he has remained a marginalised figure in Palestinian politics. This can be reflected by the fact that Herbon residents are not in favour of this arrangement.

The idea is not popular among residents

Local residents and community leaders have strongly rejected the initiative, stating it does not represent Hebron’s population or political will.

Haaretz quoted extended family members as saying that the proposal is part of a long-running, unsuccessful attempt to create an alternative leadership in Hebron.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Hence, the announcement has sparked a heated debate about political representation and the future governance of Palestinian territories amid ongoing conflict and negotiations. In the past, Israel often suggested that with a majority of Arab Palestinians living in Jordan , there’s already a State of Palestine there in West Asia.

What is Israel’s take on the matter?

Interestingly, the idea faced intense opposition from the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), The Jerusalem Post reported. While the Israeli security agency is not satisfied with the PA’s fight against Palestinian terror, it still sees it as the only body that can assist Israel in curbing terror across the entire West Bank.

Israeli officials emphasised that the PA has as many as 70,000 soldier-officers, including a smaller group of commandos. Hence, it is not an easy body to replace. The officials also noted that there are around 4,000 PA officers in Hebron, along with 200 commandos.

Throughout the years, PA has shared intelligence with the Shin Bet, helping them to capture at least some Palestinian terrorists, especially Hamas. PA's motivation to share info regarding Hamas is to weaken the Palestinian group in Gaza, so that it can make a space for itself in the coastal enclave.

The IDF has similar opposition to the idea, also counting on the PA for security cooperation, The Jerusalem Post reported. Experts believe that Shin Bet and IDF prefer the enemy they know to the one they don’t. They worry that a loose confederation of emirates in the West Bank would be hard to manage and could lead to an unpredictable Palestinian civil war.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Tags
Israel Palestine West Bank
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Impact Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Erika Kirk delivered an emotional speech from her late husband's studio, addressing President Trump directly. She urged people to join a church and keep Charlie Kirk's mission alive, despite technical interruptions. Erika vowed to continue Charlie's campus tours and podcast, promising his mission will not end.

More Impact Shorts

Top Stories

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports

QUICK LINKS

  • Trump-Zelenskyy meeting
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV