The Amana House: A New Settlement in Sheikh Jarrah

[Israeli]

May 8, 2016

The Israel Land Authority Expropriated Palestinian Land in East Jerusalem and Granted it to Settlers

A New Settlement is Being Built in Sheikh Jarrah by the Amana Association

Construction of a huge structure referred to as the “Amana House”, has recently started in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem. The structure is intended to serve as an office building for the Amana Association – a private entity operating toward establishing and expanding settlements and responsible for many of the illegal outposts in the Territories. The structure is being built within the Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, and is adjacent to St. Joseph Hospital, which serves the Palestinian population of Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Construction of the settlement is supported by a wide array of governmental institutions, headed by the Israel Land Authority (ILA). The ILA, in an illegal and misleading procedure, expropriated private Palestinian land and, handed it over to Amana, a right-wing pro-settler organization that is politically and ideologically affiliated with the right-wing government.

The story of the Amana House started in 1992 when the ILA decided to allocate the 3 dunams in Sheikh Jarrah to Amana for planning, based on Amana’s commitment to move their offices to Jerusalem (although in fact the offices of Amana were already in Jerusalem). While the land was included in 1968 in a map of some 4,000 dunams that the government planned to confiscate. Yet these specific 3 dunams were never legally expropriated. In 1998, the construction plan made by Amana was approved, and the ILA signed the plan as the owner of the land. In 2009 the then Minister of Finance, Yuval Steinitz, signed an announcement of confiscation for public interest of a new artificial parcel, that was prepared by the ILA in order to “launder” the confiscation of the land for Amana. An appeal by the Palestinian owners of the land demanding to cancel the construction permit granted to Amana, is now pending in the Israeli Supreme Court.

It is important to note that two of the leaders of Amana were recently questioned for allegedly taking kickbacks from a settlement development firm. It is also important to mention that the Amana Association owns the “Al Watan” company, subject of a police investigation on extensively fraudulent practices in land transactions in the Territories.

Much more @
https://settlementwatcheastjerusalem.wordpress.com/2016/05/08/the-amana-house-a-new-settlement-in-sheikh-jarrah/

[Israeli]

1. Also......

Israeli Settler Group Takes Over Muslim Quarter Building in Jerusalem

The move reflects the Ateret Cohanim NGO's new push to settle Jews in the Palestinian neighborhood of Al-Sadia.

Nir Hasson May 09, 2016

Members of a Jewish settlement organization took possession of an apartment building in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem Monday morning, after the building with its six apartments had, apparently, been sold by its Palestinian owners to the organization’s people.
During the last year, Ateret Cohanim — an NGO that settles Jews in Arab areas of East Jerusalem — has greatly stepped up its efforts to occupy buildings in Silwan and in the Muslim Quarter. The new focus of the organization’s efforts is Al-Sadia, a Muslim Quarter neighborhood between Damascus Gate and Herod’s Gate. Palestinian residents of the area report that the settlers had a key when they entered the building, which was vacant of occupants, and encountered no resistance.

Channel 7 radio reports that Chief Rabbi of Safed, Shmuel Eliahu, known for his strident anti-Arab stances, arrived at the building this morning to pray with the new tenants and give them his blessing.

About a week ago, another Palestinian family living in the Muslim Quarter lost an appeal filed with the District Court, about an eviction order they had received from Ateret Cohanim people. The court rejected their argument that they were protected tenants and ruled that they will have to vacate the premises.

About 1,000 Jews live in the Muslim Quarter, half of them yeshiva students, Most of these students are linked to Ateret Cohanim which runs 20 buildings in the quarter.
In Silwan, on the other hand, another association, Elad, lost its case against a Palestinian family, and will have to vacate an apartment it occupied unlawfully.

Elad, which also champions Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem, took over the apartment, and about 20 more, in September 2014. The family argued that there had been no deal to sell the property. Elad lost the case and the appeal. Last week Elad vacated the premises, returning the apartment to the family.

Peace Now said the settlers moves were creating more tension in Jerusalem, distancing yet further the chances of making peace.
“Settling in the heart of a Palestinian neighborhood damages the chance of the two-state solution and exacerbates tensions in the delicate fabric of Jerusalem,” the settlement watchdog group said.

Source : http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.718784

[Israeli]

2. More on Amana ....

Israel Seized Palestinian Family's East Jerusalem Land Behind Its Back, Gave It to Settler NGO

Documents reveal that the state used strenuous bureaucratic acrobatics to deliver land that didn’t belong to it.

Nir Hasson May 09, 2016

Israel expropriated land from an East Jerusalem Palestinian family without a tender and against the rules, then handed it over to Amana, an organization that works to establish settlements and outposts, Haaretz has learned.

Some months ago Amana began building a large office building on the land for its headquarters. Documents submitted for an administrative petition against the land transfer reveals that the state used strenuous bureaucratic acrobatics to deliver land that didn’t belong to it.

The plan was prepared and approved without the family knowing of the expropriation. The property map was redrawn to legitimize the expropriations, and related documents were hidden from the owners. The Jerusalem District Court rejected the Palestinian family’s petition, which is being appealed to the Supreme Court.

Amana, founded by the Gush Emunim religious settlement movement in 1979, is the most important private body for establishing and expanding West Bank settlements.

Continued @: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news//.premium-1.718612