Representatives from the Jewish and Arab communities met in Hevron on Sunday. Sheikh Abu Khader Jabri and Haj Abu Ahram Abu Sneina represented the city’s Arab Muslim population. The two head the city’s largest clans, and represent the majority of Hevron’s Muslims.
Kiryat Arba regional council head Tzvi Katzover, former MK Elyakim HaEtzni, activist Boaz HaEtzni, spokesman Noam Arnon, and others represented the Jews of Hevron and Kiryat Arba. The two sides discussed ways to bring peaceful coexistence to the city. Jewish representatives later said the meeting had gone well, and said they would attempt to hold additional meetings to discuss Jewish-Arab relations in the city.
The meeting was initiated after Sheikh Jabri prevented Israeli anarchists from destroying a synagogue near Kiryat Arba on Rosh Hashanah. Jabri argued that destroying the synagogue would damage Jewish-Arab relations. Shortly after Sunday’s meeting Jabri was summoned to a meeting with Palestinian Authority officials, and pamphlets denouncing him were distributed in Hevron.