Hebron made the international news this month with the Israeli cabinet decision to cancel the ban of Jews buying property in Judea and Samaria. While there has been massive building by the Arab part of the city, Jews faced severe restrictions and were often evicted.
The following is a brief history of attempts by Jews to purchase property in Hebron after the Hebron Accords contrasted with the shopping malls and high-rise apartments in the Palestinian Authority-assigned part off the city.
Natural growth for the Jewish community of Hebron has been stagnated as Jewish families in Hebron who saw their children grow up and get married knew there was little room for new families in the city. The single new building project in the city is the first in over 20 years. The other purchases have been of run-down and empty buildings that Arab owners were eager to unload and sell for higher-than-market-value to Jews.
This month (February 2026) the situation changed with the Israeli cabinet decision to allow Jews to purchase property in Judea and Samaria and declassify the land registry.
HISTORIC BACKGROUND
In 1997 the Hebron Accords divided the city into H1, ruled by the Palestinian Authority, comprising 80% and H2, under Israeli control, comprising 20%. Jews only have access to the Jewish neighborhoods. This comprise 3% of Hebron.
While H1 has grown into the largest, most industrialized and wealthiest city in the PA, with shopping malls, hospitals and a stadium, the Jewish residents faced countless bureaucratic hurdles for the few building they were able to obtain. Here is an overview of Jewish property purchases in the H2-designated part of the city since the Hebron Accords.
- Mitzpe Shalhevet / Hebron Wholesale Market
In 2007, the Israeli government forcibly removed Jewish residents from the Mitzpe Shalhevet buildings. The plot of land was originally purchased by the Jewish community in 1807. After the Jordanians destroyed the synagogue and Jewish-owned homes, they turned it into a vegetative and fruit market in the 1960s. During the deadly riots of the mid 1990s the vendors were compensated and moved to the new parts of the city. Jewish residents then moved into the empty stalls. The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that although the land was technically owned by Jews, since the Jordanians built the building structures, they must sit empty until a permanent ruling is made. Status: currently empty.
- Beit Shapira
In 2006 Jewish residents moved into a home they purchased from Arab residents. They named it Beit Shapira after Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhak Shapira who was murdered by Arab terrorists near the site. They were ordered evicted after one month until the courts could fully determine ownership after the Arab seller denied the deal. Two subsequent attempts were made to move into the building, in 2008 and 2011, both of which were met with evictions by Israeli police and army. Status: currently empty.
- Beit HaShalom
A Jewish descendant of Hebron massacre survivors bought the empty building. In 2007, Jewish residents moved in. In 2008, Israeli government evicted the residents. In 2012, the Jerusalem District Court ruled the house was legally purchased. Arab Hebron residents fought the ruling in court but lost their appeal. In 2014 Jewish residents returned. Status: currently in use.
- Beit HaMachpela
An empty three-story building near the Maarat HaMachpela was owned by elderly Arab brothers and was sold to Jewish residents. In 2012 Jewish residents moved in but their ownership was contested and the Israeli government evicted them. Muhammad Abu Shahala, the Arab Hebron resident who sold the property was arrested by the PA and sentenced to death for the crime of selling land to Jews. The Jewish community appealed to the United Nations to help him. In 2013, after a series of court cases, a group of Jewish residents moved in but were evicted two days later. Arab activists moved into the adjoining courtyard. Following further court rulings, Jewish resident moved in again in 2017 and stayed for about eight months before being evicted by Israeli authorities. In 2019, the IDF Civil Administration granted official permission for Jewish residents to live in the building. Status: currently in use.
- Beit HaTekumah
A vacant three-story building near the border of Kiryat Arba was purchased from an Arab Hebron resident. In 2022 when Jewish residents moved in, the Israeli government ordered them evicted. They stayed for one Shabbat before reaching agreement that they would leave provided the army secure the building to prevent Arab residents from squatting in it. As of 2026, one Jewish family has moved in. Status: currently in use.
- Hezekiah Neighborhood
This is the first new building project for Jewish residents in H2 Hebron in over 20 years. Currently in the building process, it is being construction on land purchased by Hayyim Yisrael Romano, a Sephardic Jewish merchant in 1876. The Beit Romano building served as a synagogue and study hall. The famous Rabbi Haim Hezekiah Medini, author of the Sde Hemed lived here. While Beit Romano had been reclaimed by Jewish residents in the 1980s and turned into a yeshiva, the land behind the building was used as a bus station, trailer park, army base and other uses until after numerous court battles, it finally received preliminary approval to build a modern residential complex in 2017. Additional approvals needed to be granted by the IDF Civil Administration and Defense Ministry. Arabs sued in the Israeli Supreme Court to block the building but were denied. Construction began in 2024. The plan calls for 31 residential units, a playground, kindergarten and dormitories. Status: under construction.
- Beit Rachel and Beit Leah
In a real estate deal that dated back to 2008, two adjoining old, empty buildings on the road to the Maarat HaMachpela were purchased from Arab residents. In 2016 Jewish residents moved in, but were evicted two days later after the Arab family residents claimed they never sold it. The PA police arrested and interrogated the Arab seller. In 2018 after courts ruled the sale legal and binding, Jewish residents were allowed to return and today it serves as a residential building. Status: currently in use.
- Beit HaHerut
Purchased in 2022, the transaction was contested by Arab residents in the Israeli courts. One side of the building was blocked with concrete barricades as it sits on the border of the H1 and H2 sections of Hebron. Jewish residents had to erect a ladder to access the building through a upper story. In 2023, the court ruled that the building had been legally purchased. The barricades were eventually removed. Status: currently in use.
- Beit Valero
The building was originally built by the family of Haim Aharon Valero, a well-respected 19th century Sephardic Jewish businessman from Jerusalem. It abuts on what is today the Arab casbah but used to be the old Jewish quarter. It became an abandoned property after the 1929 Hebron massacre led to the expulsion of Jews from the city. In 2025, after years of court battles, approval was given for Jewish residents to move in. They noted it was the first time in 96 years that Jews have been able to live in the area of the casbah. It was used as a factory and was found burned and without electricity. Today, the building serves as a boarding house for the yeshiva students. Status: currently in use.
- Beit Gaon Yehuda
Purchased by the Harchivi Mekom Aholech organization in 2025 this building is located behind the ancient Jewish cemetery and overlooks the Tel Hevron archeological park. It is named in memory of local resident Yehuda Yahalom who was killed in Operation Swords of Iron following the Oct. 7th 2023 massacre.
- Ma’ale Doron
In 2025 an old house was purchased by the Harhivi Makom Ohalech organization located close to the Maarat HaMachpela. It was called Maale Doron, named after the late lawyer Doron Nir Zvi who worked with the Harhivi organization. Status: currently in use
- HaGevurah neighborhood
In February 2026, following the Israeli cabinet decision no longer requiring extensive checks and additional Defense Ministry signatures for real estate transactions, Jewish residents moved into five buildings that had previously been purchased. The buildings are in need of extensive remodeling for electricity, plumbing and other infrastructure. It is located in between the Gal neighborhood of Hebron and the Jewish suburb of Kiryat Arba.
Arab Hebron
Notable buildings in the H1 section of Hebron (Palestinian Authority designated area comprising 80% of the city):
- Hebron Center
A six-story shopping mall with high-end clothing stores and restaurants including international chains. Hebron Center B, an annex, was built recently. http://hebron-center.ps/
- Crown Mall
Initiated in 2018, and opened in 2025, this mega mall covers 27,000 square meters with seventeen floors, including luxury clothing shops, an ice skating rink, indoor children’s entertainment complex, food courts and cafes, and fine dining restaurants overlooking the city center. https://crownmall.ps/
- Kentucky Fried Chicken
An official franchise of KFC, certified halal for Muslim customers. https://www.facebook.com/p/KFC-Hebron-100089593192648/
- Al-Hussein Bin Ali Stadium
An 8,000 seat arena for football (soccer). In 2015 and 2016 it hosted Palestine Cup football championships.
- Hebron University
Founded in 1971 it features a sprawling campus and departments such as the Faculty of Islamic Law , Arts, Finance and Management, Agriculture, Science and Technology, Law and Political Science, Nursing, Information Technology, Education, Pharmacy and Medical Sciences.
- Plastics factories
Hebron is a major hub for the plastics industry with several huge factories that export to Israel proper. These include:
– Royal Industrial Trading Co.: Established in 1993
– Al-Wafa Plastic Industries: Established in 2004
– Palestine Plastic Industries Company
– Zamzam Plastic factory
- Korea Palestine Center in Hebron
Completed in 2015, a project of the Korea International Cooperation Agency which has funded many projects in H1 Hebron.
- Palestine Polytechnic University
Founded in 1978. In 2018, it established the College of Medicine and Health Sciences. In 2019, the Palestinian-Korean Center for Biotechnology was opened funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency.
- Foreign donations
Arab nations have donated millions to the PA controlled Hebron Municipality and funded projects there. Of note is the United Arab Emirates who allocated AED 7.3 million (approximately $1.99 million) in 2023.
- Other notable sites in H1 Hebron are the Hebron Chamber of Commerce, three hospital’s, Al-Quds Open University – Hebron branch, the nearby Carmel tourist park with Olympic size swimming pool and numerous high-end restaurants and shops.
User who visit TikTok and search for “Hebron” can find many videos posted by Arab residents of new malls, fast cars, and stylish stores.
It should be noted that Arab citizens of Israel are free to buy and sell property without restraint. They also have the freedom to vote and run for public office. Many Israeli Arabs self-identify as Palestinians.
Jewish residents of Hebron are Israeli citizens and responsible for paying Israeli property taxes, national insurance, army duty, etc.
While Israeli Jews are restricted to the Israeli controlled H2 area, Arab PA residents can live in, and travel back and forth between H1 and H2.
