Israel advances new settlement construction at Hebron market site

Israeli settlement authorities have advanced construction plans for a new residential complex on the location of a former Palestinian market in the southern West Bank city of Hebron. The Hebron Municipality confirmed that Israel's Civil Administration Planning Committee has approved a project to erect two settler buildings comprising 63 housing units on the site of the historic central vegetable market, which has been closed to Palestinians for decades.

Settlement Project Details

The planned settlement development includes two six-story residential buildings with underground parking facilities, accompanied by a three-story structure containing classrooms, a library, and a synagogue. The complex would cover approximately 12,500 square meters of land that previously served as a vital economic hub for Hebron's Palestinian population before its closure following the 1994 massacre at the Ibrahimi Mosque, where an Israeli settler killed 29 Palestinian worshippers.

Legal and Political Context

Hebron Municipality officials have condemned the settlement plan as a violation of international humanitarian law and an infringement on Palestinian property rights. The municipality maintains legal ownership of the market area and has previously won court cases affirming its rights to the property. Current Hebron Mayor Tayseer Abu Sneineh, who remains detained by Israeli authorities, had repeatedly asserted the municipality's legal claim to the market site.

Historical Background and International Position

Under the 1997 Hebron Protocol, the city was divided into sectors, with Israel maintaining full control over the Old City area where the market is situated. In 2017, UNESCO designated Hebron's Old City and the Ibrahimi Mosque as World Heritage sites, simultaneously placing them on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to Israeli settlement expansion. The United Nations has consistently maintained that Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories violate international law and undermine prospects for a two-state solution.