Gila Gamliel, the Knesset's Minister of Social Equality visited Hebron where she prayed at the Tomb of Machpela and met with elected officials and local residents. 

 

"The Cave of the Patriarchs is a spiritual center of the Jewish People," Gamliel stated, "an historical testimony to the religious and national ties to the earth and the land that were given to us by virtue of our forefathers." 

 

The government minister pledged to "continue to develop Jewish settlement in all parts of the Promised Land and realize our historical right to this holy place that is a Jewish heritage site."

 

She added, "We're in the midst of a propaganda war over international consciousness with organizations like BDS and others that deny the legitimacy and recognition of the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.

 

"It's enough to see who's buried in the Cave to understand the unbreakable connection between the Cave of the Patriarchs and the Jewish People. Those who try to argue otherwise are necessarily distorting history, facts, and the Bible - the source of our spiritual and national identity. That's our response to [Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud] Abbas' intransigence; that's our answer to Hamas terror."

 

She also visited Hebron's sister community of Kiryat Arba and met with local leaders.

 

The government is planning to set up special aid program for the Kiryat Arba local council and the Jewish community of Hebron. The social equality ministry plans to invest 2 million shekels to promote the social involvement of young people for both communities which will be under the responsibility of the Youth Authority of the Ministry for Social Equality.

 

In 2015 while Gamliel visited the holy site with her family a failed terrorist attack was attempted and two people were injured, one moderately and one slightly. Gamliel remained defiant vowing to return to mark the Shabbat Parshat Chayei Sarah with her family next year.