Supreme Court delays eviction of Israeli settlers from Palestinian home

Israel’s Supreme Court has decided to delay the eviction of Jewish settlers from a Palestinian home which they had taken over by force in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, Palestine Online reported on Monday. The three-storey house is owned by the Abu Rajab family and the Jewish settlers have occupied parts of the building for three weeks.

Although the Israeli government demanded that the settlers should leave the house, they appealed against the decision. According to Haaretz, the settlers claim that they had purchased the house from a member of the Palestinian family, who denied that this was the case. The Israeli Civil Administration decided that the selling of the house by unauthorised family members is invalid.

“The settlers’ petition is absolutely outrageous and its baseless arguments have been rejected again and again in previous legal proceedings,” explained Israeli rights group Peace Now. “After having been granted an independent review a few days ago, it is no wonder the Hebron settlers feel empowered to do as they wish, while ignoring the law and at the expense of Palestinians.”

Read: Israel settlers make home in Palestinian family’s house in Hebron