Despite the fact the homes were purchased  legally in a Jerusalem neighborhood where Jews were expelled from by the Jordanians in 1948, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said “the US condemns the recent occupation of residential buildings in the neighborhood of Silwan.”

By Oranit Etzer, Ari Yashar

After a similar move last month led to American condemnation and Arab riots, nine Jewish families on Sunday night moved into their newly purchased homes in Jerusalem’s Shiloach (known as Silwan by local Arabs) neighborhood.

Home purchased by Jews in City of David – Photo: Arieh King – Facebook

The neighborhood is located adjacent to the City of David, an area thought to be the heart of the Jewish capital in Biblical times located just south of the Old City.

Jerusalem Councilman Arieh King told Arutz Sheva on Monday morning that the families took residency in nine housing units in “Beit Ovadia” and “Beit Frumkin,” located in the “Yemenite Village” area of Shiloach that was founded by Jewish immigrants from Yemen in the 1880s who were later expelled by the British in 1938 following violent Arab rioting.

“This morning the Jewish population in the Yemenite Village doubled,” announced King. “The Jerusalem Municipality and the government of Israel should learn that it is possible to do a lot for the settling of Jerusalem, and they should focus on actions and not words.”

On his Facebook page, King wrote “good news from the sector of our Yemenite brothers, who this morning returned to their homes in the Yemenite Village. Around 80 years have passed since the Yemenites living in the Yemenite Village (in central Silwan) fled for their lives – this morning, their descendants returned to two of the properties.”

Elderly Jewish man sitting in street after surrender of Jerusalem, Israel. June 1948. – Photo: John Phillips
In only hours, Jerusalem will become Judenfrei (“free of Jews”) for the first time in 2 millennia. This act of Arab apartheid will end by Israel’s reclamation in June 1967, 19 years later.

“Congratulations to those engaging in this holy endeavor, I hope the rate of population growth in the Yemenite Village continues to grow,” added King.

As noted, a similar move occurred on September 30 when dozens of Jewish families moved into the neighborhood.

Despite the fact that they had purchased the houses legally in a neighborhood of the capital of Israel, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said “the US condemns the recent occupation of residential buildings in the neighborhood of Silwan.”

Earnest said the new residents have an “agenda [that] only serves to escalate tensions.” His usage of the word “occupation” in describe the legal taking possession of ownership sparked ire.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu responded “Arabs in Jerusalem buy apartments and no one bothers them. By the same token, I’m not going to tell Jews not to buy in Jerusalem, including in Silwan. We cannot have discrimination; this approach is unacceptable to me.”

View original Arutz Sheva publication at: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/186324#.VESoqcmLUYA