Israel expropriates land of Palestinian in occupied East Jerusalem

JERUSALEM

A top Israeli court late Monday authorized the expropriation of Palestinian land in southern occupied East Jerusalem.

The Palestinian official news agency Wafa cited landowner Sameh Darweesh as saying that the Supreme Court of Israel issued the verdict after 20 years and rejected his appeal to expropriate his land, which included three homes, and eventually lost the case.

He said the Israeli court issued a five-page ruling seizing his land, which is estimated to be 14 dunums – each dunum equals 1,000 meter square –, as well as the three homes built on the land, which house 30 people.

Darweesh said the Israeli authorities intend to dig a route on the location of the homes and build settlement units on his land, noting that the Israeli settlement of Gilo, southwestern of East Jerusalem, is close to the land he lost.

He added that, following the Israeli court ruling, he and his family members could be evicted from their homes at any time.

Darweesh noted that his land used to be 242 dunums before it was expropriated on Aug. 30, 1970, and that he has only had 14 dunums since then. However, an Israeli decision in 1986 ordered the confiscation of his remaining land.

He added that the Israeli authorities had fined him 20,000 Israeli Shekels (with a current value of about $5,500) at that time for his refusal to cede the remaining portion of his land.

Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem are facing similar cases against their lands and properties, who say the Israeli authorities are attempting to depopulate the city in favor of settlement projects.

According to Palestinian figures, about 725,000 settlers live in 176 Jewish-only settlements and 186 outposts in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Under international law, all Jewish settlements in occupied territories are illegal.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar