Two Palestinian families are facing expulsion from their residences on claims that they are built on ‘state property’. The first residence is owned by Mr. Adel al Maslamani; it is 250 m2 in area and inhabited by 14 members. The second residence s the property of Samir Jamjoum; it is inhabited by ten people including 8 children. It could be seen that only a fence separates the houses from a watchtower and a water reservoir that feeds Pisgat Ze’ev and Neve Yacoub colonies.
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Adel al Maslamani said: ‘this residence is an Arabic, Islamic one. It was built in 1954 and was inhabited by the high commander of the Jordanian Forces in Jerusalem. It is located in an Arab neighborhood. I rented the house from the Waqf authority in 1997. In 2001, an officer of the Israeli land department showed up on our doorstep and ordered us to leave the hose because it has been built on state property while stating that the plot has been confiscated since 1968 on the basis of the Jordanian law which gave the state the right to confiscate lands to be used for public usage. The Islamic Waqf, the owner, intended to defend its property before giving in while thinking that there is no way to change the Israelis mind. However, I did not surrender; I decided to defend the case on my own expense, no matter what it takes.In 2008, the Israeli Land Department sent us an eviction order for the house and the land; we pleaded for the Jordanian Government, the incumbent of the Islamic Waqf, the Palestinian president office, and a number of religious figures in an attempt to gain support and sound our cause. A number of committees were formed to aid us but we are still waiting for the Israeli response knowing that a hearing session was held in the Magistrate court on March 30, 2012.’
Harassment:
He continued: ‘the Israelis tried to scare us away and terrorize us; in 2008, Israeli Intelligence Officers showed up in civil outfit and in private cars and tried to kidnap my son Nidal; when they failed, the brutally attacked the family. Two of them restrained Nidal and a third spit into his mouth in a disgusting scene and before they eyes of tens of people. They arrested him and my other son Badr. Badr was imprisoned for a month whiel Nidal remained there for 18 months.’ He concluded: ‘it is our right to remain here; Israel is vanity; and I would rather die here than leaving’.
