Foreign Ministry denies annulment of Hebron Agreement, contradicting Smotrich's announcement (opens original article in a new tab)

The Israeli Foreign Ministry denied Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's claim of annuling the 1997 Hebron Agreement, stating only minor changes had been made to the agreement. A new bill proposes transferring authority over West Bank heritage sites to a new Israeli authority, which the Palestinian Authority has criticized as an infringement on Hebron's status.

• Foreign Ministry denies Finance Minister Smotrich's claim of annulment of 1997 Hebron Agreement
• Only change to agreement was legislation for planning and construction of Jewish heritage sites in Hebron
• New bill proposes transferring authority over West Bank heritage sites to Judea and Samaria Heritage Authority
• Palestinian Authority calls seizure of powers an infringement on Hebron's political and legal status