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Haaretz: Efforts to help a settler keep him in an apartment in a Palestinian building in Hebron

Jerusalem24 – The Israeli newspaper, Haaretz reported today Monday that there are attempts by right-wing parties within the administration of the Jewish National Fund (JNF), including the head of the organization Avraham Duvdivani, to allow them to deposit 180,000 shekels to ensure an Israeli settler’s continued seizure of an apartment in a Palestinian building in Hebron.

According to the newspaper, these parties are trying to obtain a legal opinion allowing them to pay the amount to prevent the eviction of a settler from the apartment after taking control of it, claiming to buy it. Noting that the aim of obtaining this legal opinion is to reverse a previous decision issued by an Israeli court that the JNF will not play such a role.

In March 2019, an Israeli court ruled that the settler must vacate the apartment but settler Asher Horetz, who is living in one of the apartments, applied to the court to postpone the eviction. He is claiming that the Jewish National Fund’s settlement company, Hamanuta, had purchased the apartment in which he lives.

According to the Israeli newspaper, the settlement company turned out to have purchased the apartment in question from a Palestinian who claimed that he had bought the apartment from the Bakri family, who owns the building, but a report submitted by the Jewish National Fund raised many question marks regarding the validity of the deal.

At the beginning of July, the court ruled not to evict the settler from the apartment after presenting papers proving the settlement company’s purchase of the apartment, on condition that the amount of 180,000 shekels be deposited in the court’s treasury in five installments, allowing him to remain in the apartment.

The settlement company Hamanuta agreed with the Jewish Settlers Association in Hebron on a plan under which the funds would be deposited, and the process of obtaining legal advice in order to pass such an option had begun prior to the decision of the legal counsel on the deal that was expected to be approved.

Mohammad Hamayel

Ramallah based journalist, Mohammad graduated from Al-Quds University with a B.A. in Media and Television. He has covered the 2015 Jerusalem Intifada as well as the Great March of Return for international media outlets. currently an editor/presenter at Jerusalem24. A UN alumni and a follower of global events and politics, especially American affairs.

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