Jerusalemites Are About Losing their Identity in Al ‘Eizariya

Violation: tens of Palestinian families are about to lose their right to residency.

Location: Al ‘Eizariya residential block.

Date: February, 2010.

Victims: residents.

Violators: the Israeli Occupation National Insurance Institute.

 

During February, 2010, a number of the Israeli National Security Institute had handed the residents of Al ‘Eizariya Residential Block in Al ‘Eizariya notes informing them that they lost their economical and social rights because they are living in a ‘foreign country’ behind the Segregation wall.

 

 

The residential block, constituting of 56 residential units built on 500 m² was built between 1980 and 1982. The project was funded by the Israeli ‘Mashkanta’ and ‘Jerusalem Bank’. Such projects are provided only to residents of Jerusalem and aims to support projects within the boundaries of the city.

 

In addition, the Israeli Municipality in the Occupied City had provided several services including a paved road, garbage removal, and a kindergarten making it more eligible for living. Now, the area where the residential block stands is classified ‘C’ although it used to be a suburb of the Occupied City.

 

A member of nine of the Dandis family stated:’ we received a letter from the Israeli National Insurance Institute informing us that we lost our economical and social rights because we are living in a foreign country, referring to Al ‘Eizariya. Al ‘Eizariya which used to be under full control of the Israeli Occupation Authorities. However, Al ‘Eizariya is governed by an Israeli Occupation Army Officer dressed in military suit and sometimes as a civilian whereas Jerusalem is governed by an Israeli Occupation Army Officer dressed as a civilian. Through a lawyer, we managed to restore our rights after we were deprived of them back in 1998. Twelve years later, they deprived us from our rights using the same lame excuses. 2 weeks earlier, the National Insurance Institute handed us notes telling us that we have lost all our economical and social rights because we are living outside Israel’.

 

Families living in the aforementioned residential block intend to sue the Israeli National Insurance Institute for their allegations since they live within the boundaries of Jerusalem and have 99 years leasing contracts with the ‘Israeli State’, the legal owner of the land.

 

It is located 3 km away from the the Occupied City of Jerusalem. Its total area is 10989 dunums including 2906 of built-up area. The Israeli Occupation has confiscated more than 6266 dunums of its land comprising 3700 for Ma’ale Adummim colony and the rest for the segregation wall’s sake.

 

17606 people reside in Al ‘Eizariya.