A group of Israeli settlers took over on Tuesday a Palestinian owned house at the Shikh Jarah neighborhood near Jerusalem’s old city.
Owner of the house, Rifqa Al Kurd, 85 years old, was forced out then settlers took over the house. When residents gathered outside Israeli police attacked them and forced them out allowing the settlers to take over.
Rifqa’s house was half sealed by an Israeli court order seven years ago and she was living in the other half awaiting for a court decision that was scheduled this week. The Israeli municipality said that the house was built without the proper licenses.
There are 28 Palestinian families living at Shikh Jarah. Israeli settlers claim that the land which the homes are built on used to belong to Jews before the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.
The settlers said that the court ruled in their favor last week and gave them the keys to the house.
Amar Arrori, a Human Rights researcher who was their today, told IMEMC, the Israeli police have ordered the settlers to leave the property for 10 days and they have instructed the al-Kurd family to appeal at the court
Although the settlers have left the house they have posted two private security guards out side the property, Arrori added
