In a departure from decades of hostility, Sheikh Wadee’ al-Jaabari of Chevron is proposing a new path forward: a tribal-run emirate that partners with Israel, rejects terrorism and restores dignity to his people. Can one Arab leader rewrite the future?
For the first time, a group of prominent sheikhs in the city of Chevron is openly proposing to secede from the Palestinian Authority and establish an independent tribal emirate. It’s a radical idea, one that challenges decades of political orthodoxy and threatens to upend the Oslo-era framework that has governed Israeli-Palestinian relations for more than 30 years.
Why are these tribal leaders speaking out now? And who is really behind this unprecedented initiative?
While Israel’s security establishment appears dismissive—and the Palestinian Authority is openly hostile—those close to the plan say it’s far more developed than anyone realizes. Beneath the surface, a quiet but dramatic shift is taking shape that has the potential to reshape the future of Yehudah and Shomron, and perhaps the region as a whole.
For Middle East expert Dr. Mordechai (Moti) Kedar, this is a significant step toward realizing a vision he has long dreamed of that until recently seemed impossible: peaceful coexistence between Israel and the Palestinians. The foundation of this vision is his “Emirates Plan,” which proposes granting autonomy to Palestinian cities in Yehudah and Shomron that will be governed by local leadership rather than the centralized Palestinian Authority.
Now, Sheikh Wadee’ al-Jaabari—also known as Abu Sanad—a leading figure in one of Chevron’s largest clans, along with five other tribal leaders from the region, is putting forward a plan based on cooperation with Israel, recognition of it as a Jewish state and the establishment of a joint economic zone. The architect behind the concept is Moti Kedar, who connected me with the sheikh and arranged this interview.
Sheikh Wadee’ al-Jaabari is not a fringe figure. He is a senior member of one of Chevron’s oldest and most influential clans, a family with deep roots, great pride and deep-seated hostility toward Israel. That he is now advocating for coexistence and calling for a Hebron Emirate independent from the Palestinian Authority that is aligned economically and politically with Israel suggests a possible shift underway behind the scenes.
“The Palestinian Authority has failed us,” Sheikh al-Jaabari says. “They are corrupt, they do not protect our interests, and they do not care about the tribes. We want dignity, safety and a future for our children. That cannot come from Ramallah.” His words echo a growing chorus of tribal discontent across Yehudah and Shomron, where the PA is increasingly seen as both incompetent and illegitimate.
According to Dr. Kedar, a veteran Israeli scholar of Arabic culture and a former military intelligence officer, the real story here is not one of rebellion but of opportunity. “This is not just a protest,” he tells me. “This is an alternative. A real, indigenous alternative to the PA rooted in Arab tradition, in tribal sovereignty and in pragmatic cooperation.”
Kedar has long argued that the centralized, corrupt and authoritarian Palestinian Authority is incompatible with the sociopolitical DNA of Arab society in Yehudah and Shomron. His plan proposes a confederation of city-states—local micro-emirates—each governed by the dominant family or tribe in the area. In Chevron, that would be the Jaabaris. In Jenin, the Jarrars. In Ramallah, the Barghoutis. Each would run its affairs autonomously with security coordination and economic ties to Israel, much like the Gulf emirates.
“We need to disconnect from the Palestinian Authority,” says Sheikh al-Jaabari. “It doesn’t represent the Palestinian people. Clan leaders have governed this region for hundreds of years. Israel made a mistake by bringing in the PLO, which eventually led to the creation of the corrupt PA rather than recognizing the traditional local leadership.”
To read more, subscribe to Ami
