In Response to the Initiative of 5 Sheikhs.. Hebron Tribes Reject Separation from the Authority and Recognition of Israel

SadaNews - The tribes and notables of Hebron Province issued an official statement today, Sunday, confirming their firm rejection of an initiative announced by a group of sheikhs, which calls for separating from the Palestinian Authority and recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, under the name "Emirate of Hebron."

The tribes emphasized, in their statement signed by "the Tribes of Hebron Province", their steadfast commitment to the Palestinian national project, to the national authority and its institutions, asserting that any attempt to undermine the unity of the Palestinian position or manipulate national constants will be met with rejection and condemnation.

The statement clarified that the Palestinian national authority, with all its institutions and security apparatuses, is the result of a long national struggle and represents the only legitimate framework for the Palestinian people, stating: "We will not accept any infringement on it or on the Palestinian national project for which thousands of martyrs, injured, and prisoners have fallen. "

The tribes also announced their strong and outright rejection of any project that reintroduces the "Villages Leagues" in Hebron Province, emphasizing that this model has been tried before and failed, and that it represents an attempt to dismantle the Palestinian national identity and fragment unity. The statement added: "We say to those adventurers regarding our cause: Return to your senses."

The statement continued: "Hebron, the city of our master Ibrahim, will remain resilient and unbroken, with the will and positions of its people."

The tribes will remain partners in "the circle of struggle and dignity," rejecting any alliances with the occupation or attempts at normalization that seek to override popular will.

This statement comes in the wake of a report published by the American Wall Street Journal, revealing a letter signed by five Hebron sheikhs, proposing the establishment of an independent entity called "Emirate of Hebron" and separation from the Palestinian Authority, engaging in Abraham Accords through recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.

This initiative has sparked widespread reactions and is considered an attempt to undermine the united Palestinian position and transform political differences into tribal and regional divisions.

According to the American report, the sheikhs sent a message to Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat, who has hosted the sheikhs in his home and met with them more than ten times since February. They are asking him to convey the message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and are awaiting his response.

According to the report, the sheikhs stated in their message: "The Emirate of Hebron will recognize the State of Israel as the national state of the Jewish people, and the State of Israel will recognize the Emirate of Hebron as representing the Arab population in Hebron Province."

The message requests the establishment of a timeline for negotiations to join the normalization agreements and reach a "fair and dignified" settlement to replace the Oslo Accords, which they claim have only brought harm, death, economic disasters, and destruction.

One of the sheikhs also stated that the Oslo Accords, signed in the 1990s between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, "brought us the corrupt Palestinian Authority instead of recognizing the traditional and authentic leadership – the tribes."

The Al-Jabari clan also declared their disavowal and condemnation of one of their family members cooperating with four prominent sheikhs from Hebron to propose joining the normalization agreements with Israel and separating from the Palestinian Authority's rule in the city as mentioned by the Wall Street Journal.