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Land and Water Establishment For Immediate Release: Tel: (972) (02) 812364/824559 16 May, 1995 Fax: (972) (02) 811072
Arab Jerusalem Under Attack
Recent aggressive actions against Arab property and land by the Ministry of the Interior, the Israeli Municipality for the Jerusalem area, the Custodian of Absentee Property and the Housing Ministry demonstrate no change from previous attempts to alter permanently the demographic character of Jerusalem.
After announcing the confiscation of 530 dunums of Arab land in the north and south of Jerusalem, and after announcing the approved construction of 6500 new units for the new Jewish settlement on the Arab lands on Jabal Abu Ghneim, the Custodian of Absentee Property has just announced the planned confiscation of eight houses in Silwan. The Custodian claims that before 1948 these houses were owned by Jewish residents of the area. The facts, however, as provided in writing to the Land and Water Establishment (LAWE), show that the houses, which were in fact owned by Yemenite Jews, were sold to Arabs between 1935-1944. The Palestinians currently residing in these houses have produced documents verifying this claim.
In addition, LAWE has discovered that:
There are further as yet unannounced plans by the Elad settlers' organization and others to occupy another four houses in Silwan next month, and additional houses in Ras Al Amoud (a village next to Silwan). These settlers' groups are coordinating this action with the Custodian of Absentee Property, with the support of Mayor Olmert, to occupy these homes.
Mayor Olmert is planning to pressure the Cabinet to confiscate new land near the Shu'fat refugee camp. This project is called, by the Israeli municipality, Sharm Misrah.
67 Arab homes have been slated for demolition by the Israeli Jerusalem Municipality. Last year, it demolished 35 houses, and continues to refuse permission to build new homes for Arab residents. Currently there are 1500 Arab houses, located in Jerusalem and in surrounding neighborhoods, which are marked for demolition.
Rabin has expressed his support for these latest actions. Al Quds reported him as saying that while the Cabinet has approved the construction of 6500 units for Jewish use (for the new settlement on Jabal Abu Ghneim), they are also planning to build 400 units for Arabs, and a prison.
These confiscations are in direct contradiction to international law and the Oslo Accords. The Oslo Accords stipulate that no permanent changes may take place that may influence the final agreement. These aggressive actions seek to solidify Jewish control of Jerusalem and the surrounding area, and have no other effect than to destroy the prospects for peace. LAWE has accepted the cases on behalf of the residents of Silwan and Beit Safafa (the village facing land confiscation in southern Jerusalem), and will continue to carry out its duties and act against continued human rights violations and aggression against the Palestinian people.
Land and Water Establishment is a non-governmental organization, dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. Their activity concentrates on land confiscation, property destruction and environmental issues.