Tel Aviv court hears Jaffa mosque ownership dispute case

The Tel Aviv District Court yesterday held the first hearing regarding a dispute over the ownership of the Tabia Mosque in Jaffa.

The case was filed by the Islamic Waqf in Jaffa city demanding ownership over the mosque against the Israel Land Authority’s efforts to seize it.

Last August, the Islamic Waqf in Jaffa said it had successfully reopened the mosque’s ownership file after more than 25 years, indicating that there were serious moves to restore it.

The court, led by Judge Yaakov Shaked, heard the Islamic Waqf’s deposition that based on historical documents it had obtained from private sources; it is entitled to restore ownership of the mosque.

For years, Israel’s Land Authority has sought to seize the mosque located in the far southwest of Jaffa’s Old Town.

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