Judicial orders to evacuate 9 families from the neighborhood of Batn Al-Hawa in Silwan
Ateerat Cohanim institution handed judicial orders to Shihadeh and Gheith families asking them to evacuate the land where their homes are built in the neighborhood of Batn Al-Hawa in Silwan south of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center explained that the houses of Shihadeh and Gheith families fall within the plan of “Ateerat Cohanim” to seize 5200 square meters from the neighborhood of “Middle Neighborhood” in the area of Batn Al-Hawa which was revealed last May; settlers claim that Jews of Yemen owned the land since 1881. The total area is divided into six pieces of land (numbers: 73, 75, 88, 95, 96 and 97) and the settlement organization claim that the Israeli Supreme Court acknowledged ownership of the settlers from Yemen to the land of “Batn Al-Hawa”.
Zuheir Rajabi, head of Batn Al-Hawa Committee, explained that Ateerat Cohanim institution handed 5 judicial orders to Shihadeh family and asked them for the land in which their building is built on; the building includes 6 apartments where 40 individuals live.
Rajabi added that the settlement institution also handed 4 judicial orders to Gheith family requesting them to evacuate their land where their two-floor building is built; nearly 20 people live in the building.
Rajabi also added that Gheith and Shihadeh families have been living in the neighborhood of Batn Al-Hawa since the 1960’s but the settlement organization claim ownership of the lands.
Wadi Hilweh Center pointed out that 30-35 residential buildings are established on the lands that are at risk of being seized by Ateerat Cohanim. Nearly 80 families consisting of 436 individuals live in those buildings. All of the residents have been living in the neighborhood for dozens of years after buying the land from the previous owners using official documents.
Zuheir Rajabi explained that 71 families of the locals of Batn Al-Hawa have received judicial orders by Ateerat Cohanim institution since September 2015. The locals have responded to the orders and lawsuits filed against them, and a hearing session will be held at the end of the current month to hear the claims of both sides.
