Hebron’s Sheikhs Plot a Bold Break from the PA, Seeking Peace and Prosperity with Israel
As the Two-State Fantasy Dies, Hebron’s Clans Offer a Realistic Path to Peace Through the Abraham Accords and Tribal Sovereignty
In the rubble of October 7, 2023, the world finally saw what Israel has always known: the two-state solution is a fantasy that fuels violence and false hope. But a seismic, underreported shift is quietly shaking the foundations of the Palestinian Authority’s corrupt grip on the West Bank—and, according to a feature Opinion Peace in the Wall Street Journal, it’s emerging from a place many least expect: Hebron.
Sheikh Wadee’ al-Jaabari, leader of Hebron’s most powerful clan, along with a coalition of major sheikhs representing a majority of Hebron’s 700,000 residents, is boldly calling for peace, coexistence, and full recognition of Israel as the Jewish state—a stance the Palestinian Authority has never dared to take. Their plan? Break free from the Palestinian Authority’s kleptocracy, establish a self-governing Hebron Emirate, and join the Abraham Accords.
תוכנית האמירויות הפלסטיניות יוצאת לדרך. חברון תחילה.
— Mordechai Kedar مردخاي كيدار מרדכי קידר (@kedar_mordechai) July 6, 2025
خطة الإمارات الفلسطينية تبدأ من مدينة الخليل
The Palestinian Emirates !!!https://t.co/eGgTUnwRTp
“There will be no Palestinian state—not even in 1,000 years,” Sheikh Jaabari declares. “After October 7, Israel will not give it.”
And he doesn’t want it.
From Corruption and Terror to Prosperity and Peace
The sheikhs’ letter to Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat demands what generations of peace processes failed to achieve: real, ground-level cooperation rooted in tribal legitimacy, economic pragmatism, and zero tolerance for terrorism.
They propose:
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A phased employment program for 50,000 Hebron workers inside Israel, with guarantees of zero terrorism—the opposite of the PA’s “pay-to-slay” rewards for murderers.
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Creation of a joint economic zone spanning 1,000+ acres, employing tens of thousands in construction, manufacturing, and logistics.
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A roadmap to formally join the Abraham Accords under U.S. and Israeli blessing.
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Replacement of the Oslo Accords disaster with a new framework recognizing Israel’s sovereignty and the sheikhs’ authority in Hebron.
The Death of Oslo, the Rise of Tribal Realism
The sheikhs are done with the PLO’s lies. The Oslo Accords, they say, brought only theft, violence, and poverty while billions in foreign aid fattened PA leaders’ offshore accounts.
“They even steal our water. We don’t have water to drink,” one sheikh laments, crediting Nir Barkat and local Israeli leaders for emergency water infrastructure that the PA refused to build.
“The betrayal was done in Oslo,” Sheikh Jaabari scoffs. “Thirty-three years of false promises, violence, and theft.”
In 2012, Mordecai Kedar proposed an alternative to the Oslo Accords he called the "Palestinian Emirates" or the "Eight-State Solution".
— Uri Kurlianchik (@VerminusM) July 6, 2025
His solution is based on Arab culture, which has the tribe rather than the state as the major cornerstone of society.
Is this the first step? pic.twitter.com/WmTSNqhTWD
Why Tribes Can Succeed Where the PA Failed
Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a respected Arab affairs expert at Bar-Ilan University, has long argued for an “Emirate Solution”—local tribal governance reflecting Arab society’s real structure rather than the artificial nationalism imposed by the PLO. It was Kedar who introduced Sheikh Jaabari to Minister Barkat in the first place as per a post the author of the opinion piece, the Journal's Editorial Board member Elliot Kaufman on X who quoted from his piece on Kedar's involvement.
"For 20 years, he’s been selling the idea of Palestinian emirates, with the West Bank’s seven distinctive cities run by their clans," Kaufman writes of Kedar.
The sheikhs appear to agree. They see the PA as the primary incubator of terrorism, not a partner for peace. They warn that the PA’s weakness could lead to an October 7-style massacre in the West Bank, unleashing chaos on everyone.
“You’ve seen the letter?” exclaims Dr. Mordechai Kedar. That means it’s really happening.
— Elliot Kaufman (@ElliotKaufman6) July 6, 2025
For 20 years, he’s been selling the idea of Palestinian emirates, with the West Bank’s seven distinctive cities run by their clans.
He introduced Sheikh Jaabari to Minister Barkat. pic.twitter.com/FIoyIZvedm
Will Israel Finally Seize This Opportunity?
Minister Barkat sees what most Israelis feel: nobody in Israel or among the Palestinians believes in the PA anymore. The sheikhs’ initiative offers Israel a realistic alternative that prioritizes security, stability, and prosperity without the failed illusions of Oslo or the deadly fantasies of Hamas.
The question now is whether Israel’s security establishment, shackled to decades-old doctrines and fearful of change, will embrace this new path or cling to the PA’s rotting corpse.
“If Israel’s position is that the PA can’t rule Gaza because they’re terrorists and corrupt, why are they OK to rule in Judea and Samaria (West Bank)?” asks retired Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi.
Arafat & Abbas rejected your map & chose terror, @IhabHassane.
— Jay Engelmayer (@jengelmayer) July 3, 2025
Then came Oct 7th.
Now that Oslo ship has sailed.
Your best hope now is @kedar_mordechai’s Emirates idea .
Honestly, there’s no unity amongst your people - you’re not a nation, you’re a collection of tribes. https://t.co/q8ugiL2L5b pic.twitter.com/sQ5pQ9wRN6
The Path Forward: A Hebron Dubai?
The sheikhs envision Hebron becoming the Dubai of the West Bank under this plan, leveraging tribal authority and economic cooperation with Israel to build a thriving, peaceful society.
They know the risks: the PA may call them traitors, Hamas may threaten violence, and Israel’s bureaucracy may hesitate. But the sheikhs are prepared.
“There will be obstacles,” Sheikh Jaabari acknowledges, “but if we confront a rock, we will have iron to break it.”
With the backing of Israel and President Trump’s administration, the sheikhs believe this plan can spark a transformation that ripples from Hebron to Bethlehem and beyond—dismantling the PA’s failed regime and replacing it with a future rooted in reality, prosperity, and peace.
Why This Matters for Israel and the World
• Exposes the PA’s irrelevance and corruption
• Offers a grassroots Arab solution to the “Palestinian problem”
• Aligns with the Abraham Accords’ momentum
• Opens a pathway to prosperity for Palestinians without terrorism
• Supports Israel’s security interests without sacrificing sovereignty
At The Judean, we will continue to track this initiative, which may represent the most significant shift in Israel-Palestinian relations since the Abraham Accords themselves. If you want real peace, the Hebron Emirate may trailblaze a path forward, inspiring other regions to do the same—bypassing the PA’s lies and finally turning swords into plowshares in the land of the patriarchs.
