After eviction from disputed home near Tomb of the Patriarchs over “irregularities” in the purchase from Palestinian owners, settlers’ appeal win allows their return to their legally bought building.
Defense Minister still needs to approve re-entry.
The owners of the building had been evacuated, and will now be able to return to the home, pending the approval of Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon.
Last April, several Jewish families moved into the building, which has come to be known as “Beit Hamachpelah” due to its proximity to the Tomb of the Patriarchs (Maarat Hamachpelah in Hebrew). Despite their insistence that the building had been legally purchased from its Palestinian owners, then-Defense Minister Ehud Barak refused to approve the deal, and the settlers were subsequently evacuated from the building.
The eviction sparked a political firestorm, which ended with a vow that the legality of the deal would be examined swiftly by the Civil Administration. Approximately six months later, the Civil Administration rejected the deal as unlawful, citing “irregularities” in the paperwork.
The Jewish buyers then filed an appeal, which was ultimately upheld.
MK Orit Struck (Habayit Hayehudi), a resident of Hebron who was involved in the purchase of the building, said that “the disrespect of the right to buy and the right to trial, which have been stripped from the Jews of Hebron, is crying out to the heavens.”
View original Israel Hayom publication at: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=10403