MK Nir Barkat visited the city of Hebron at the invite of local municipal head Rabbi Hillel Horovitz, spokesperson for the Jewish community of Hebron, Noam Arnon, former MK Orit Struk, community chairman Uri Karzen, and international spokesperson for the Jewish community of Hebron, Yishai Fleisher.
Barkat prayed at the Tomb of Patriarchs donning traditional Jewish prayer garb: a tallit and tefilin. From there, the MK proceeded to other points of interest including: the old synagogue in the Avraham Avinu neighborhood, hosting Torah scrolls badly damaged in the 1929 massacre, the deserted Arab market – where 60 housing units along with a motel for visitors are to be erected shortly, the Hezkiah Quarter, expecting 30 new housing units, the Hebron Archeological Garden, and the Hebron Museum in Beit Hadassah.
Barkat said the Jewish community of Hebron are employing "courage and wisdom" in their sacred work reviving the ancient community. "I am at your disposal for further development of Hebron as part of expansion of the settlement enterprise, turning the city into an international tourist hub steeped in Biblical tradition."
Barkat launched his "Plan for the Economic and Settlement Development of Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley," in collaboration with the Kohelet Forum and Judea and Samaria council heads.
"There is no better place to launch this plan for Bible-inspired tourism coupled with economic development than the Tomb of Patriarchs – where it all began: The stories of the Bible, and forbearers of the Jewish nation whom all humanity receives its inspiration," said Barkat. At the end of the visit, he thanked the 24 Judea and Samaria local authority heads who agreed to collaborate with his plan.