Israel seizes powers over flashpoint West Bank shrine from Palestinians

Israel has seized planning and construction powers at a Jewish and Muslim shrine in the occupied West Bank from Palestinian authorities, scrapping parts

of an agreement in place since the 1990s, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday.



Under the 1997 Hebron Agreement, 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 recognised 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.



Smotrich, a far-right minister, said he had given the final sign-off late on Monday to the transfer of planning and construction powers as they affected the religious site and nearby Jewish settlers to Israeli authorities.