This concerns the Tomb of the Patriarchs, which is located in the occupied West Bank and is known to Muslims as the Ibrahimi Mosque. Smotrich wrote on Telegram that the site will no longer be administered by the local authority in Hebron.
The Palestinian Authority in Ramallah condemns the decision, which was announced at the same time Smotrich participated in the construction of a new Israeli settlement near the city.
Hebron was occupied by Israel during the Six-Day War in 1967.
The Tomb of the Patriarchs is an important place for Muslims, Jews and Christians alike. Around 40,000 Palestinians and around 200 Israeli settlers live in the surrounding area.
