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Al-Ahram Weekly
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Palestinians reject ‘Hebron emirate' - World - Al-Ahram Weekly
In the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, Israel has long sought to create a local leadership that would be completely compliant in its agenda, with the aim of extinguishing any Palestinian political representation or demands to end the occupation of the Territories seized in 1967 and to establish an independent Palestinian state. From the outset, Israel has opposed any political solution that would restore even a fraction of their rights to the Palestinians. Israel's strategy involves fracturing Palestinian society by any means. It began decades ago with the village leagues in the late 1970s and early 1980s, continued through policies exacerbating divisions among the Palestinian factions, and most recently has seen the Wall Street Journal detailing Israeli Ministers' proposals to cooperate with Hebron's clan leaders. The aim is to install them as civic authorities in the city, severing them from the Palestinian Authority (PA), in preparation to end both the influence of the PA and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in the West Bank. The report also describes Israeli support for the Abu Shabab militia in Gaza, arming it to attack Palestinian resistance factions. In its edition of 6 July, the Journal published a report headlined 'A New Palestinian Peace Offer to Israel: Hebron Tribal Leaders Propose Breaking from the PA and Joining the Abraham Accords.' The article highlighted an official letter signed by five Hebron sheikhs and addressed to Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat. The letter states the full recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and calls for establishing a 'tribal emirate' in Hebron under the Jaabari clan, with the aim of joining the so-called 'Abraham Accords.' The initiative includes practical steps to build trust, among them permitting 500 workers from Hebron to enter Israel in the first phase, increasing to 5,000, and ultimately up to 50,000 under a broad security and economic agreement. According to the report, the sheikhs have met with Israeli officials more than 20 times since February. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu views the proposal cautiously, while some security leaders oppose it, fearing it could spark serious internal divisions, dismantle the PA, and ignite armed conflicts that could spill over into the settlements and threaten the Israeli military. Despite the pushback from the Israeli security establishment, right-wing ministers close to Netanyahu reportedly support the plan, in part because it includes a clear pledge to recognise Israel 'as the nation-state of the Jewish people' in exchange for Israeli recognition of a 'Hebron emirate' as 'the official representative of the Arabs in the Hebron area.' Significantly, this framework avoids any political commitment to establish an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, as prescribed by international consensus. The right-wing Israeli ministers see these influential clan leaders as viable alternatives to the PLO, which Israel has historically negotiated with. According to these ministers, the initiative also rejects the Oslo Accords, which the sheikhs denounce as having 'brought corruption, death, and economic destruction,' in favour of elevating clan leadership as the genuine representation of the Palestinians. They also rely on perceived American backing, particularly from US President Donald Trump, to lend legitimacy to the initiative. They believe it could rescue Hebron from a Gaza-like scenario. The revelations have found a parallel in southern Gaza, where for months Israel has supported a militia led by a man known as Yasser Abu Shabab. Claiming to head the 'Popular Forces,' he reportedly commands hundreds of fighters who patrol aid routes near the vital Kerem Shalom Crossing, providing protection for international organisations and preventing looting after limited aid deliveries began in May. Abu Shabab, in his early thirties and from a prominent Bedouin family, was imprisoned by Hamas on 7 October 2023 for alleged drug-trafficking before being released following the outbreak of the conflict with Israel. Israeli officials have admitted supplying his militia with weapons as part of a covert operation to empower anti-Hamas groups in Gaza. Netanyahu has defended this covert campaign, saying the Israeli security agencies 'have activated opposition groups in Gaza against Hamas.' Although Abu Shabab's name was not directly mentioned, officials confirmed he is part of the programme. Both in the West Bank and Gaza, Israel's efforts to forge such local leadership have been broadly rejected. Multiple statements, even from the tribes themselves, condemn the promotion of the Hebron sheikhs and Abu Shabab's group in Gaza, signalling high levels of failure for these Israeli-backed attempts. In Hebron, leading families and clan leaders released a joint statement in response to the Wall Street Journal report, declaring their rejection of the 'Hebron emirate' idea and affirming their commitment to the PLO programme, the PA, and a unified national identity. The statement emphasised that Hebron's clans, rooted in national, religious, and historical significance, will remain resistant to infiltration. It denounced any foreign-sponsored fragmentation projects as doomed to fail, underscoring that the PA and its security apparatus, along with the PLO, remain red lines that cannot be compromised. It said that the Palestinians have sacrificed thousands of martyrs, wounded fighters, and detainees to defend their national project, and any attempt to undermine it under any pretext is totally unacceptable. It also condemned the expansionist policies of extremist Israeli ministers within Netanyahu's government, naming Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, and described such moves as 'a vicious attack on the land, the mind, and the identity' of the Palestinians. Ahmed Majdalani, a member of the PLO's Executive Committee, told Al-Ahram Weekly that Israel's efforts to form a local leadership are neither new nor unprecedented; similar attempts were made in the 1980s through village leagues, supported by the civil administration and Israeli military. All these attempts, he stressed, failed because the Palestinians reaffirmed their loyalty to the PLO as their sole legitimate representative. He noted that similar efforts are underway in Gaza amid violent siege tactics, backing armed groups and marginal leaders in an attempt to fracture Palestinian identity and undermine national unity in efforts that the Palestinians have consistently resisted. Fatah Revolutionary Council member Tayseer Nasrallah also slammed the attempts, saying Israel's strategy to mould the Palestinian militias and produce tailor-made figures was to be 'completely rejected' as aligned with a colonial agenda. In Gaza, Hamas and other factions have labelled Abu Shabab 'a traitor and gang leader,' saying that 'we pledge before God to continue confronting this criminal and his gang, no matter the sacrifice.' The joint leadership of the Palestinian resistance factions called Abu Shabab 'a traitor whose blood, and that of his associates, is forfeited by all the factions.' It described him and his group as 'stripped of Palestinian identity' and praised tribes and families who remain loyal. Majdalani argued that Palestinian national, political, and social unity, anchored in the PLO and its legitimate institutions, is essential to the Palestinian cause. He urged a broad political and societal dialogue to counter Israel's dismemberment efforts of Palestine amid the genocide in Gaza and challenges to the PA in the West Bank. Nasrallah added that supporting clan and armed breakaway leaders would deeply fracture the Palestinian project, warning that such attempts lack national legitimacy and are doomed to fail. * A version of this article appears in print in the 10 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Wall Street Journal
6 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
A Hebron ‘Emirate' or a Colonial Deception?
I was 10 when my family left our rented apartment in Hebron's H2 district, the neighborhood where the Jabari family has lived for generations. We didn't leave by choice. The violence of the second intifada and the relentless aggression of Israeli settlers made staying impossible. When I read in these pages an extended Jabari family member and four tribal leaders' claim to speak for Palestinians in Hebron, offering what some are calling a 'new path to peace,' I was reminded of an old truth: The most dangerous lies are those wrapped in familiar clothing. The proposal, championed by Wadee' al-Jaabari and Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat, promises peace through fragmentation, replacing Palestinian national aspirations with a patchwork of local 'emirates.' This isn't new thinking—it's the colonial playbook. It's divide and conquer dressed up for a modern audience. The proposal makes Palestinian self-determination impossible, reducing the dream of statehood to a work-permit program. At least the Palestinian Authority, for all its failures, emerged from a national movement. The Journal reports that 'Jaabari and four other leading Hebron sheikhs have signed a letter pledging peace and full recognition of Israel as a Jewish state' in return for Israel's recognition of the 'Emirate of Hebron,' with the goal of joining the Abraham Accords. But the Palestine Liberation Organization recognized Israel's right to exist in 1993. Israel nonetheless established more settlements, more checkpoints and a more entrenched occupation. The settler population nearly doubled during the Oslo years. Now we're expected to believe that an artificial Hebron emirate recognizing Israel more fully as a Jewish state and joining the Abraham Accords will make things better for Palestinians? The bitter irony is that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acted to fragment Palestinian representation. His government allowed the provision of money to Hamas after its rise to power in Gaza to weaken the Palestinian Authority. At a Likud party conference in 2019, Mr. Netanyahu reportedly said, 'This is part of our strategy—to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank.' The current proposal would give Mr. Netanyahu what he wanted, while promising work permits to Palestinians as a carrot. But we don't need permission to work in Israel; we need the freedom to build our own economy on our own land.
CNBC
20-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Israel's economy minister: Focused on making sure Iran never has the capabilities of nukes
Israel Minster of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the latest developments in the Israel-Iran conflict, what Israel hopes to achieve in its campaign against Iran, the role of U.S. going forward, and more.
France 24
04-06-2025
- Business
- France 24
'We don't want a Palestinian state,' Israeli economy minister says
Israel 's Economy Minister Nir Barkat was categorical about his country's position. "We don't want a Palestinian state," he told FRANCE 24, proposing instead an "emirate model" for Palestinians in the West Bank, arguing that "successful Arab countries are tribal based". Barkat also dismissed the Oslo Accords as a failure, noting that 99 out of 120 Israeli lawmakers had voted against a Palestinian state. This week has seen a string of deadly incidents near aid distribution sites in Gaza operated by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Barkat insisted that Israel was working with the Americans to ensure aid reaches civilians directly, bypassing Hamas. "We want to separate, make sure that the aid goes directly to the people and Hamas wants to fight that. They want to control the people through the aid that is passed to Gaza," he claimed. Despite Western pressure, 'nobody's going to stop us' Since Israel launched its expanded Gaza offensive known as "Operation Gideon's Chariots" in May, Western capitals including the UK, France and Canada have issued strongly-worded joint statements threatening "concrete" actions against Israel. 09:35 "Nobody's going to stop us because it's our neck on the line", Barkat said in reaction to this criticism. "I expect the world to understand who the real enemy of the free world [is]: the jihadists, the terrorists ... Don't support them." The minister also issued a warning to France, one of the countries that could soon recognise a Palestinian state. "Don't take the wrong route," he said, urging Paris to instead "support the only democracy in the Middle East" and "help us finish the war quickly".
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mayor Adams signs business agreement with Israel, blasts calls for divesting from country amid Gaza war
Mayor Adams signed a business engagement agreement with Israel's government on Monday, seeking to draw a sharp contrast with local progressive Democrats calling for divesting from the country over its military campaign in Gaza. Adams, who has centered his reelection bid on a need to combat antisemitism in the city, signed the agreement with Israeli Economic Minister Nir Barkat while appearing together at the Jerusalem Post conference in Manhattan. The agreement establishes a council, staffed by City Hall and Israeli government reps, tasked with finding ways to 'enhance economic cooperation.' Specifically, the panel will 'support Israeli companies' seeking to set up shop in New York, with a focus on firms in the artificial intelligence, life sciences and environmental innovation sectors, per the agreement. The war in Gaza has prompted growing calls across the globe for sanctions against Israel. In New York, progressive politicians, including mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, have voiced support for pulling U.S. funding and investments from Israel. In remarks before signing the agreement, Adams pushed back against those calls and aligned himself with Israel, while referring to Barkat, a member of Netanyahu's ruling right-wing party, as his 'good friend' and 'brother.' 'Several politicians in this city and some running for mayor have called for the disinvestment in Israel. Well, they got another thing coming,' he said, adding that the city will continue to foster business ties with Israel 'as long as I am mayor.' Adams has made support for Israel a key focus of his bid for a second term, an effort that stands to curry favor with the city's politically influential Jewish Orthodox community. Amid fallout from the Trump administration's controversial dismissal of his corruption indictment, Adams dropped out of the Democratic mayoral primary last month and announced he's instead seeking reelection as an independent in November's general election, running on an 'EndAntiSemitism' ballot line. Monday's announcement comes after Adams launched a new Office to Combat Antisemitism last week that he says will, in part, focus on pulling any city funding from nonprofits his administration deems antisemitic.
