On Wednesday, Israel approved the expansion of a Jewish school for settlers in the heart of Hebron, a Palestinian city in the occupied West Bank. This construction effort is seen by Palestinians as a violation of a long-standing agreement. The plans were unveiled by Israel’s finance minister, following his announcement of the cancellation of a deal that allowed Palestinian control over certain planning aspects around Hebron’s historic center.

The neighborhood surrounding the Cave of the Patriarchs holds great religious significance for Muslims, Jews, and Christians. It accommodates over 1,000 Jewish settlers amidst tens of thousands of Palestinians, all under strict Israeli security oversight. According to the 1997 Hebron Agreement, Israeli forces maintain a presence in the area, but construction has typically required Palestinian municipal approval, including areas near the shrine.

The spiritual and historical value of Hebron has made it a significant target for Israeli settlers focused on expanding their community. Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, declared that a plan for a 10,000 square foot building intended for a Jewish school in Hebron’s historic district received approval.

“We are continuing to build the Land of Israel in practice and to implement practical sovereignty in the settlements,” stated Smotrich, who opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Issa Amro, a Palestinian activist residing in Hebron, expressed concerns that Israel’s actions dismantling parts of the Hebron Agreement would lead to neglect of Palestinian residents’ basic needs. He believes this strategy aims to distress Palestinians to the point of forcing them out.

“It means ethnic cleansing of Palestinian families from their homes, and more displacement,” Amro commented. He described Israel’s policies as efforts to destroy Palestinians’ aspirations for a state, and a life without fear or violence.