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].
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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.
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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)