Defense Minister Ehud Barak insists permission was never granted to Ichud HaLeumi MKs to visit H1, the PA (Palestinian Authority) occupied areas of Chevron, which comprise 97% of the Holy City. He did however agree to permit them to visit the Machpelah and Jewish areas of the city. [The area known as H1 was handed over to the PA by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in his pervious tenure ten years ago].
 
The Ichud MKs had a memorandum from the minister’s assistant approving the visit to Shoter Square, in an area under PA control, about 150 meters from the Jewish community.
 
The leader of the opposition party, MK Yaakov (Ketzaleh) Katz was quoted as lamenting the minister’s decision, barring Jews from the City of the Patriarchs, stating they will nevertheless arrive in Chevron on Monday as planned.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)