Refugees' assets
Israel's Absentee Property Law was passed in 1950.
After the war that followed the creation of the state, it was
the main legal mechanism used to take over homes and land that belonged
to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who had fled or were
displaced.
"It was very important. It was the first step to take
control of the assets of the Palestinian refugees after the 1948 war,"
says Professor Haim Sandberg, a land law expert at Israel's College of
Management.
"When some years passed, the assets were sold to the Israel
Development Authority and Jewish National Fund. Money was paid to the
Ministry of Finance and they are holding the money maybe to one day
compensate the former Palestinian refugees."
From Palestinians' point of view, the law has always been
controversial. The rights of refugees are a core issue in their
conflict with Israel.
However, thousands more Palestinians who live in the West
Bank but own property in East Jerusalem could be affected by a Supreme
Court decision expected after a hearing on Tuesday.
The court is considering appeals in four cases, including
that of the Cliff Hotel, where the Absentee Property Law has been
applied. This may set a new precedent for its continued use.
Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 war. Its annexation of the area is not recognised under international law.
Many of the Palestinians recently labelled as "absentees"
have been cut off from their land by new structures like roads to Jewish
settlements and Israel's separation barrier in and around the West
Bank...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22608104
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The Cliff Hotel is on a hill in a strategic location in Abu Dis, on the outskirts of Jerusalem |
An Israeli border guard gives a warning shout as we approach the Cliff Hotel at Abu Dis, on the edge of Jerusalem.
"We're too close now. I'm not comfortable. They are
monitoring us from the roof and I don't want to provoke anyone," Ali
Ayyad tells me.
The large building, erected by his father in 1954, was
originally for residential use. It was converted into a hotel in the
1960s, and for many years Mr Ayyad was the manager.
"This is where I met my wife and many of my long-time
friends. My daughters came here after they were born. We lived on the
third floor. It was not just a home, it was a way of life," he recalls.
"It's got one of the most gorgeous views of Jerusalem you can
imagine. We had 36 bedrooms and bathrooms and guests came from all
across Europe. We had a beautiful garden with olive trees. Now that's
destroyed."
In 1996, as the hotel was being renovated in a period of
optimism following the Oslo Peace Accord, the Israeli army took it over
citing a security need. However, it later withdrew after legal
challenges.
Since 2003, the owners have faced several further attempts by
Israeli authorities to seize the building. They are currently classed
as "absentees" and the Custodian of Absentee Property controls the
hotel. ...
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