Taking over two Palestinian residential buildings outside the walls of the old city of Jerusalem

The Israeli greed in seizing Palestinian houses in Jerusalem is continued unabated as part of the Judaization process of the holy city. The latest chain in these expansionist efforts took place on March 29th, 2006, when the Israeli land authority broke into houses which are owned and inhabited by five nucleolus families of Ghuzlan extended family,  heirs of Late Ibrahim Ghuzlan Al Abbasi. An Israeli military, security and police force of mare than 80 armed members forced their way into the houses during the early hours of March 29th, dismissing all of the inhabitants out, evacuating and loading their furniture and belongings in big trucks which all were taken to the stores of the municipality of occupied Jerusalem.

Historical background

The Ghuzlan family's house is located in Silawn, not far from the southern walls of the old city. It was built and first inhabited in the year 1966 by the Ghuzaln family.

After the Israeli occupation of the city in 1967, the Israeli antiquity authority began diggings in the so- called the 'city of David' where the target house is located. During the course of excavations the Israeli authorities tried to seduce the owner, Late Ibrahinm Ghuzlan, with million of dollars in exchange for his house, but, he strongly refused to abandon it.  

On 5.1.1987, an employee from the land of Israel ' Keren ke'imit' authority brought a letter to Late Ibrahim Ghuzlan stating that the land on which the house is built was not his land and that he should vacate it. A similar letter reached Mr. Ghuzlan from Jerusalem magistrate's court on 28.1.1987. Following this notification, the Ghuzlan family was worried and they levied a case in the court. After five sessions, in 1992, the court decided that the whole land on which the house is built should stay at the hands of the Israeli land authority, and that the owner, Late Ibrahinm Ghuzlan, should evacuate the site in exchange for 75 000 US$.

Following this development, the family submitted a petition to the Israeli high court of 'justice' who, in 1997, ratified the magistrate's court decision and gave the owner a six month ultimatum to evacuate the house. At the end of the 6 months, the house was attacked at midnight by almost 50 settlers who were repulsed by local people and supporters.The Israeli settlers' harassment continued by fixing surveillance camera to monitor movement around the house.

In 2001, upon the death of the Late Ibrahim Ghuzlan, the Israeli authorities sent a letter stating that the owner of the house had died and that it should be evacuated. However the house lawyer replied by saying that the sons of Late Ibrahim Ghuzlan are the legitimate heirs protected by law and they should stay in their houses.

At the beginning of March, 2006, Israel's land authority sent a letter demanding that the heirs of Late Ibrahim Ghuzlan should pay the amount of 245 000 US$ in exchange for the use of the house since the issuance of the evacuation decision by the Jerusalem's magistrate's court in 1992.  

At 8:30 AM, Wednesday, March, 29th, 2006, the houses were attacked by the Israeli military force who asked the occupants to leave within half an hour. When they refused to do so, the soldiers forced them out and threw their furniture belongings in trucks which were waiting outside, causing material damage to the furniture and belongings worth of 50 000 NIS.

(Photo 1: Silwan-location of Ghuzlan family's houses))

Table 1: House seizure by name of owner, # of family members, # of flats, # of rooms and surface area   

Source: field-work by LRC

On the same day, March 29th, 2006, Israeli settlers took over five housing units located in two residential buildings at the top of Mt. of olives to the eastg of the old city. The houses are owned by the family of Abu Alhawa. The Israeli intruders claimed that the houses were bought from their owners.

(Photo 2: Mt. of olives – location of Al Hawa family's houses)) 

Table 2: House seizure by name of owner, # of flats and surface area

Source: field-work by LRC

Prepared by:
The Land Research Center
LRC