“It is the law of the Palestinian Authority to put to death anyone who sells property to Jews,” lamented Israeli activist Yishai Fleisher, commenting on a Supreme Court case related to Jews who legally purchased buildings in Hebron.
By Tsivya Fox-Dobuler
On Sunday, Israel’s Supreme Court rejected a petition by several Arabs to remove Jews from buildings in Hebron that they legally purchased with the approval of the Civil Administration.
The buildings in question are called Beit Rachel and Beit Leah, named after biblical mothers Rachel and Leah, and are located between the Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriachs and the Avraham Avinu neighborhood.
Fifteen families and several offices are housed in the buildings, with the authorization of defense and government officials.
The court ruled that the Arab petitioners did not prove that they legally possessed the property prior to the Jewish residents entering the buildings. Therefore, the security officials’ decision to permit the Jewish residents to remain in the property was justified, the court held.
While Beit Rachel and Beit Leah were purchased in 2012, Jewish residents were only permitted to take possession of the buildings about a year and a half ago, local activist Shlomo Levinger explained to United With Israel
In addition to residing in one of the buildings, Levinger serves as spokesman for the Harhivi Makom Ohalech organization, which purchases real estate in Judea and Samaria.
“The buildings were purchased legally by Jews from Arabs,” Levinger told United With Israel. “After the sale, they complained to the police that they didn’t sell the buildings, because [the sellers] are afraid of the Palestinian Authority.”
Levinger’s father, Rabbi Moshe Levinger, lead the first group of Jewish residents who returned to live in Hebron following the Six-Day War, over 50 years ago.
“We are happy that three or four times now the court has declared that Jews can live wherever they want in the Land of Israel,” said the younger Levinger.
Yishai Fleisher, international spokesman for the Jewish community in Hebron, explained to United With Israel the life-threatening situation Arabs face should they sell property to Jews.
“The Palestinian efforts to delegitimize the legal purchase of property in Hebron is nothing compared to the murderous bullying that decent Arabs have to deal with when, and if, they choose to sell to Jews,” Fleisher said. “It is the law of the Palestinian Authority to put to death anyone who sells property to Jews and that is the much darker and uglier side of this frivolous case, which tried, as usual, to undermine plain recorded history.”
Fleisher added, “Jews are from Hebron and we will continue to grow and thrive in our ancestral city forever.”