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‘Emirate of Hebron’ Raised Again According to Smotrich’s Arrangements

The Israeli military blocks the road as Palestinians protest against settlement near Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma
The Israeli military blocks the road as Palestinians protest against settlement near Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma
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‘Emirate of Hebron’ Raised Again According to Smotrich’s Arrangements

The Israeli military blocks the road as Palestinians protest against settlement near Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma
The Israeli military blocks the road as Palestinians protest against settlement near Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank June 19, 2026. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma

The establishment of the “Emirate of Hebron” has been raised again after far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Tuesday that he had annulled the Hebron Accords and seized planning and construction powers at a Jewish and Muslim shrine in the occupied West Bank from Palestinian authorities.

The idea of “annulment” was already put forward more than a year ago but rejected by Palestinians.

The 1997 agreement gave the Palestinian Hebron municipality authority to construct and plan in the H2 area of the city, despite it being under Israeli military control.

And in what appears to be a coordinated plan, while Smotrich annulled the Hebron Accords, Likud Minister Nir Barkat brought five Hebron residents to a Knesset hearing to promote a government-backed plan to secede from the Palestinian Authority, establish an independent emirate and join regional normalization agreements.

“The dispute came to a head during a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee hearing this week, when Barkat brought five Hebron residents promoting the initiative,” Haaretz newspaper wrote on Friday.

“The group argued they could assume responsibility for their local areas and maintain order through a model of tribal leadership,” it added.

The newspaper explained that last year, five residents of Hebron had proposed breaking away from the Palestinian Authority in an initiative for an “Emirate of Hebron.”

According to a 2025 report in The Wall Street Journal, the group sent a letter to Barkat in which they expressed support for Israel as a Jewish state and proposed the creation of a joint Israeli-West Bank industrial zone near the separation barrier.

Haaretz said Barkat presented the five Hebron residents as those who are willing to accept responsibility for the areas where their extended families live, break away from the Palestinian Authority, and establish a system of local tribal leadership.

During the discussion, the sheikhs claimed that they had the power to restore order and protect their residents.

The five sheikhs, the newspaper wrote, presented far-reaching demands to the Israeli army and security forces during the discussion. They demanded that soldiers refrain from activities against them and their people, reduce arrests, and stop searching for weapons on their families' lands.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli also attended the discussion, expressing full support for the initiative. According to Chikli, the emirate model is “the future of the West Bank” and the most significant alternative offered to the Palestinian Authority so far.

Chikli argued that the local tribal structure may constitute a more stable basis for a Palestinian government than the PA's institutions, which the Israeli government seeks to dismantle.

The 1997 Hebron Agreement divided the city of Hebron into two zones: H1, under Palestinian control and H2, under Israeli security control.

Palestinians controlled planning and construction in the entire city, including the Jewish Tomb of the Patriarchs and the adjoining Muslim Ibrahimi Mosque.

Hebron's Old City is recognized as a Palestinian World Heritage site.

Hundreds of Jewish settlers live among tens of thousands of Palestinians in parts of the ancient city that are under Israeli security control.

Annulling the Hebron Accords means Israelis would again control the H2 area of the city, including religious affairs.

Smotrich said: “This is much more than a planning step, it is a step... of practical sovereignty, of governance.”

The Palestinian mayor of Hebron, Yousef Al-Jabari, called Smotrich's announcement a “racist decision aimed at stripping the Hebron municipality of its powers.”

He told Israel’s i24NEWS channel that the Palestinian people remain entirely capable of choosing their own leadership, despite active Israeli interference.

“We have a municipality that democratically elects its president and members. Hebron is ruled by Palestinian legitimacy and no one else will rule it,” he added.

On Friday, Haaretz said the Israeli military has rejected these estimates outright. Security sources who spoke to Haaretz said most of the figures presented as influential lack public status in Hebron, and are not recognized as the city's power centers.

Other sources warned that the very fact of holding the Knesset debate and granting official legitimacy to a model of tribal leadership supported by Israel could create the impression that Israel is trying to dismantle the existing Palestinian leadership by appointing cronies from collaborating clans.

Such a move, they warn, could actually strengthen support for extremist factions and deepen instability in the West Bank.

“When ministers bring the sheikhs to the Knesset, give them an official platform and present them as a governmental alternative to the Palestinian Authority, it can no longer be treated as just a public relations exercise – it has direct consequences on the ground,” said a security source who spoke to Haaretz.

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Arab World

Syria’s Grand Mufti Warns Against Acts that Could Fuel Strife

A Syrian woman holds pictures on April 24, 2026, of relatives killed by former regime forces in the 2013 Tadamon massacre south of Damascus. (EPA)
A Syrian woman holds pictures on April 24, 2026, of relatives killed by former regime forces in the 2013 Tadamon massacre south of Damascus. (EPA)
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Syria’s Grand Mufti Warns Against Acts that Could Fuel Strife

A Syrian woman holds pictures on April 24, 2026, of relatives killed by former regime forces in the 2013 Tadamon massacre south of Damascus. (EPA)
A Syrian woman holds pictures on April 24, 2026, of relatives killed by former regime forces in the 2013 Tadamon massacre south of Damascus. (EPA)

Syria’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Osama al-Rifai has called for calm after days of protests demanding the prosecution of supporters of the former regime, warning citizens against “undisciplined actions that could open the door to strife,” the official Syrian news agency SANA reported.

Rifai said Friday that accountability for criminals must be left to the state and its relevant agencies. He said demands for justice and for holding those involved in violations to account were “a legitimate right,” but must be pursued through the state and the law, not through unorganized individual or collective action.

“What the Syrian people endured over 60 years of injustice and suffering because of the practices of the defunct regime and its loyalists requires wise conduct today, far from strife,” SANA quoted him as saying.

He said the responsibility for applying the law and holding suspects accountable rests with the relevant state institutions, urging people to trust judicial and official procedures rather than resorting to individual acts that could have dangerous repercussions for social security.

AFP reported that dozens of Syrians joined a protest overnight Tuesday into Wednesday in which shops and cars were vandalized in a Damascus neighborhood. Protesters demanded that loyalists of the former rule be held to account, part of wider mobilizations that began in several areas and prompted the authorities to warn against turning to “revenge.”

Neighborhoods seen as supportive of the former regime in several areas, including Aleppo and Idlib, have seen similar protests in recent days. Demonstrators called for the trial of those they described as “shabiha” and “remnants of the regime,” terms used for loyalists of the ousted president, Bashar al-Assad.

Residents said the protests included attacks on private property, fueling tensions and fears of acts outside the law as the authorities work to launch a transitional justice process after years of war, AFP reported.

Videos on social media showed dozens of people moving through the Mezzeh 86 neighborhood, which had a mostly Alawite population. Shops and cars were attacked and chants were directed against residents.

A similar demonstration took place outside the nearby Great Mezzeh Mosque, demanding the expulsion of “shabiha,” before security forces deployed to control the situation and asked residents to stay in their homes.

The Ash al-Warwar neighborhood on the outskirts of Damascus, which also has a mostly Alawite population, saw a similar protest on Monday night, an AFP photographer reported.

Leaflets have spread in several provinces in recent days, giving loyalists of the former rule the choice between leaving the country or staying in their homes “awaiting accountability.”

The first such protest began last week in Kafr Aweed in rural Idlib, in the northwest of the country.

The protests came despite the authorities starting trials of former security and military officials from the previous rule, and announcing the arrest of about 6,000 people, including soldiers, officers and loyalists linked to the former rule. The authorities are trying to contain the protests, which have raised concerns among rights advocates.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said last week, while receiving a delegation from Damascus, that “it is important that transitional justice not be used as a pretext for revenge or as a tool for domination,” warning that otherwise “we would be confronting one injustice with another.”

Arrests over the 2020 strike on Jabal al-Duwaila camp

In a related development, SANA said internal security units in Idlib province arrested Issa Ghannam and Fadi Maarouf on suspicion of leaking the coordinates of an opposition camp in Jabal al-Duwaila in the city of Kafr Takharim, Idlib province, in 2020.

The agency quoted the Interior Ministry as saying investigations showed that “Fadi Maarouf, known as Abu Jahl, sent the site’s coordinates to Issa Ghannam, who in turn transferred them to Brigadier General Abdulrahman Najm, head of the State Security branch under the defunct regime. The camp was then hit by direct air strikes during a meeting of its members, causing more than 100 deaths and injuries.”

The Interior Ministry statement did not say which faction the targeted camp belonged to or who carried out the strike.

Reports at the time said Russian warplanes bombed a parade by fighters at a Faylaq al-Sham camp, affiliated with the National Front for Liberation, in al-Duwaila in the Kafr Takharim area near the Turkish border, on Oct. 26, 2020, causing dozens of deaths and injuries.

Arab World

‘Ruqaya Broke Iraqis’ Hearts’: Halabja Mourns Karbala Girl

Iraqi girl Ruqaya, who died at a tourist resort in northern Iraq (photo circulated on social media)
Iraqi girl Ruqaya, who died at a tourist resort in northern Iraq (photo circulated on social media)
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‘Ruqaya Broke Iraqis’ Hearts’: Halabja Mourns Karbala Girl

Iraqi girl Ruqaya, who died at a tourist resort in northern Iraq (photo circulated on social media)
Iraqi girl Ruqaya, who died at a tourist resort in northern Iraq (photo circulated on social media)

After nine days of searching and waiting, the body of 11-year-old Iraqi girl Ruqaya was found in a valley in the Ahmad Awa tourist area of northern Halabja province, following a drowning incident that drew widespread sympathy across Iraq and prompted officials to call for tighter safety measures at tourist sites near waterways.

Ruqaya was buried in her hometown of Karbala on Friday after a farewell ceremony in Halabja province, where hundreds of residents lined the roads to bid her farewell, carrying flowers, according to circulated video footage. One mourner said the child’s farewell had broken their hearts.

Halabja Civil Defense Director Abidin Abdulrahman said rescue teams, divers and volunteers found the girl’s body on Wednesday after intensive and continuous search operations involving specialized teams and dozens of volunteers from different areas.

The incident dates back to June 9, when Ruqaya, a resident of Karbala, was on a family vacation at the Ahmad Awa resort, one of Halabja province’s most prominent natural sites. While she was near the Zalm spring, she fell into the water before strong currents swept her away and she disappeared from view.

Local authorities launched wide search operations immediately after the incident, scouring the valley and surrounding areas with the participation of civil defense teams, specialized divers and volunteers from Halabja, Hawraman, Shahrizor and other areas, in an effort to find the child.

Local officials said the mountainous nature of the area, the large number of rocks and the force of the water flow made the search difficult. The operations continued for more than a week amid wide public and media attention.

The discovery of the body triggered grief in Iraq, where the girl’s story had become a matter of public concern in recent days and was widely followed by media outlets and social media platforms.

After the body was found, the funeral convoy set off from Halabja province toward Karbala, with broad official and public participation. Hundreds of citizens lined the roads in several cities and towns in Sulaymaniyah province to bid farewell to the child and show solidarity with her family.

Although initial arrangements called for the body to be taken directly to Karbala on Thursday morning, residents of Khormal district insisted that the convoy pass through their town so they could take a final look at the child whose search they had followed over the previous days.

Video footage showed large numbers of residents gathering in Khormal and Sayid Sadiq, carrying flowers and standing on both sides of the road as the funeral convoy passed, reflecting the scale of public reaction to the incident.

A group of ambulance volunteers in Sulaymaniyah took charge of transporting the body to Karbala, while a number of volunteers accompanied the body on the long journey to support the family and take part in the mourning ceremonies.

The body arrived in Karbala on Thursday, accompanied by an official delegation from Halabja province, including Halabja district commissioner Simko Salar and Civil Defense Director Abidin Abdulrahman.

The convoy stopped at the forensic medicine department to complete legal procedures for issuing the death certificate before the body was taken to Jannat Karbala cemetery.

Local officials, social figures, members of the child’s family and hundreds of citizens took part in the funeral, which ended with her burial at the cemetery south of the city.

In the first official response after the body was found, Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani offered condolences to the girl’s family and thanked the people of Halabja province and the Hawraman area, as well as the volunteer teams that took part in the search.

Barzani said in a statement that the incident required stricter safety measures and instructions at tourist sites, especially areas located near rivers, dams and water sources, in order to reduce the risk of similar incidents recurring.

Residents of Halabja place flowers on the ambulance carrying Ruqaya's body (X)

Safety measures

Karbala Governor Nassif Jassim al-Khattabi said he planned to visit Halabja province in the coming days to thank its officials and residents for what he described as the humanitarian position they had shown toward the child’s family.

Khattabi said in a statement that the solidarity that accompanied the search operations, the discovery of the body and the funeral procession “embodies the highest meanings of brotherhood and national unity,” adding that such positions would remain deeply appreciated by the people of Karbala province.

Ahmad Awa is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Kurdistan Region, attracting thousands of visitors each year from various Iraqi provinces, especially during spring and summer, because of its mountainous landscape and water springs.

Ruqaya’s death has revived public and official calls for a review of safety measures at natural and tourist sites that draw large crowds during holiday seasons, especially in areas with rough terrain or fast-moving waterways.

Arab World

Sudan’s El-Obeid Under Drone Pressure, Fears El Fasher Fate

Damage caused by Rapid Support Forces drones in Sudan’s el-Obeid, North Kordofan state. (Photo circulated on social media)
Damage caused by Rapid Support Forces drones in Sudan’s el-Obeid, North Kordofan state. (Photo circulated on social media)
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Sudan’s El-Obeid Under Drone Pressure, Fears El Fasher Fate

Damage caused by Rapid Support Forces drones in Sudan’s el-Obeid, North Kordofan state. (Photo circulated on social media)
Damage caused by Rapid Support Forces drones in Sudan’s el-Obeid, North Kordofan state. (Photo circulated on social media)

Only hours after the United Nations and several Western countries urged the Rapid Support Forces to halt its assault on el-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, it was plunged into darkness.

A drone strike hit the city’s main power station, marking the latest in a wave of attacks that have battered el-Obeid for days.

Local sources said a strategic drone belonging to the RSF struck the electricity substation late on Thursday, cutting power across the city. By Friday morning, strikes had resumed on other sites inside al-Obeid.

For residents of the city, known in Sudan as the “Bride of the Sands,” the blackout was not an isolated blow. It was another episode in a weeks-long buildup of pressure. In recent days, heavy drone attacks have killed more than 40 civilians and wounded dozens, according to local sources.

The strikes have also hit fuel stations, supply trucks and civilian and military sites, spreading fear through the city.

Local witnesses said drones still fly regularly over el-Obeid, turning anticipation into part of daily life.

Residents said they now track the movement and sound of drones more closely than they follow the news on television or smartphones.

Some have cut back their movements or stayed indoors, fearing sudden attacks after repeated strikes on civilian and service facilities in recent days.

Fears of an El Fasher scenario

Those fears have deepened because of what happened in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, which fell to the RSF last year after months of siege and military attrition.

Since then, El Fasher has become the reference point in every discussion about the fate of el-Obeid, especially as attacks intensify and pressure on the city grows.

El-Obeid lies about 411 km from Khartoum and forms the main link between Darfur and central Sudan. It is also home to the headquarters of the 5th Infantry Division, known as the Haggana, a name derived from the use of camels in military operations.

The division is one of the Sudanese army’s most important units.

But el-Obeid’s importance is not only military. It is also economic, political and logistical. The city lies near the center of Sudan, at the meeting point of Darfur, Kordofan and the country’s central regions. For decades, that position has made it a major hub for trade, transport and the movement of goods.

El-Obeid is connected to roads, railway lines and vital supply routes linking western Sudan to the east, making it an important center for trade, supplies and transport.

It is also a major administrative and political center in Kordofan, with a historical symbolism that has made it one of the most influential cities in western Sudan.

That importance helps explain why el-Obeid has become a key target in the battles between the army and the RSF. For the army, the city is a major base for current or future military operations in Kordofan and Darfur. It is also the most important line of defense for central Sudan.

‘El-Obeid will not fall’

Former Sudanese army chief of staff General Hashem Abdel Muttalib told Asharq Al-Awsat that the RSF is using its attacks to disrupt the army and prevent it from advancing towards Darfur. But he ruled out the possibility that drones could achieve that goal.

“El-Obeid will not fall,” he said.

The army goes further in dismissing any direct threat to the city. Colonel al-Basha Hakim, commander of the armored corps in the 5th Infantry Division, the Haggana, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Rapid Support Forces are far from the outskirts of al-Obeid and that talk of a siege is only a rumor.

He said military plans are moving as intended and that the attacking forces have suffered heavy losses. He added that the army, joint forces and supporting forces are working in full coordination, and that residents will soon hear “good news.”

But the reassurances have not erased the fears. Military expert Saleh Abdullah told Asharq Al-Awsat that what is happening in el-Obeid resembles tactics used by the RSF in El Fasher: sustained pressure, attrition, weakening services and opening routes for those who want to leave the city.

The targeting of infrastructure has sharpened those concerns. Fuel stations have repeatedly come under attack, and fuel trucks on roads leading to the city have also been hit. The result has been a severe transport crisis in recent days, directly affecting residents’ movement and public services.

Residents said fuel has become part of the battle around el-Obeid. Repeated attacks on supplies have disrupted transport and pushed up the cost of moving around the city.

Still, the picture inside al-Obeid is not entirely bleak. Journalist Zuhair Hashem, who lives in the city, told Asharq Al-Awsat that life continues normally in most neighborhoods.

He said the recent transport crisis was linked mainly to the targeting of five fuel stations in one day, which knocked some of them out of service, rather than to a wider collapse of services or daily life.

Political analyst Osman Mirghani told Asharq Al-Awsat that el-Obeid’s military position makes capturing it harder than many assume.

He said the presence of the 5th Infantry Division, with its equipment and forces, gives the city a strong defensive capacity. He ruled out its fall, or even the approach of such a threat, for now.

According to Mirghani, the Rapid Support Forces understand el-Obeid’s importance as the army’s strongest defensive line west of Omdurman. That is why, he said, they are using drones to put psychological pressure on residents and push some of them to flee, rather than trying at this stage to settle the battle militarily.

Even so, concern is no longer confined to the city. The latest developments have prompted the United Nations and several Western countries to warn against military escalation around el-Obeid and call for an end to the attack, in a sign of growing fears that the humanitarian situation could deteriorate if operations continue at the current pace.

Between the army’s reassurances, international warnings and the fears of residents living under the sound of drones and disrupted services, el-Obeid has become one of Sudan’s most sensitive cities at this stage of the war.

If El Fasher has become the example everyone invokes when speaking of siege and collapse, the question now confronting the “Bride of the Sands” is whether it can avoid the same fate, or whether the war is gradually pushing it towards that scenario, even if the tools and circumstances differ.