JNS.org – According to Fatah sources, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has released Issam Akel, a resident of Beit Hanina in Jerusalem, who was held in custody at the Palestinian interrogation facility in Ramallah on suspicion of selling houses to Jews in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Akel, who has US citizenship, was released as a result of Israeli and US pressure on the PA.

This serious incident led the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) and the Jerusalem Police to investigate suspicions that Issam Akel had been taken against his will from eastern Jerusalem and transferred to Ramallah for interrogation.

As part of the investigation, Adnan Gheith, the PA governor of Jerusalem, and Jihad al-Faqih, director of general intelligence in eastern Jerusalem, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the abduction. Both men are close associates of Gen. Majid Faraj, head of the Palestinian general intelligence service.

It has now emerged that the Palestinian Authority also exerted heavy pressure on Palestinians living in Jerusalem to impose social and family boycotts on anyone selling land or houses in eastern Jerusalem to Jews.

For example, the PA is pressuring the Joudeh family in the Aqbat Darwish neighborhood in the Old City of Jerusalem after their home was sold to Jews for $17 million by businessman Khaled al-Atari.

The sale of property and lands to Jews is of particular concern to the Palestinian Authority, which considers it part of Israel’s plan to “Judaize” the Old City of Jerusalem, especially in the areas close to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount and David’s City.

In the wake of the sale of the Joudeh family house to Jews, the PA launched a broad campaign on social media against selling property to Jewish buyers.

According to details from the Palestinian Information Center in Silwan, during the period of 2014-2018, 44 Palestinian homes were sold to Jews in the Old City and the village of Silwan nearby. During 2015, two houses in Silwan were sold to Jews, three were sold in 2016, one was sold in 2017, and two more in 2018.

In an attempt to put an end to the sales, the PA has managed to convert the issue of selling houses to Jews from a political issue into a tribal-family matter.

Senior Fatah official Bilal Al-Natsheh, leader of the PA Popular Council in Jerusalem, stated that selling property and land to Jews is “a big national betrayal,” and it is necessary to address it from a legal and national perspective. He called upon the PA to investigate all transactions involving the sale of homes to Jews in Jerusalem, and to prosecute the sellers.

Due to PA pressure, several large clans in eastern Jerusalem, including the al-Husseinis, al-Dajanis, Nashashibis, Abu Jabals, Abu Tsawis, al-Budeiris, and several others, held meetings to discuss the phenomenon of selling land and houses to Jews.

Sheikh Abd el-Majid Ramadan, mukhtar of Beit Hanina al-Tahta, called for action against the sellers and penalties that would serve as a deterrent and teach them a lesson.

On October 1, representatives of several eastern Jerusalem families gathered in Shuafat to draw up a strategy for combating the sale of lands and properties to Jews. During the meeting, it was decided to remove the protection of families or clans from anyone selling houses to Jews and have them killed.

The Al-Rifai family issued a warning that anyone intending to sell or buy a written permit for any of its houses or lands must report to the family council and receive written authorization. If this is not done, the seller must take responsibility and suffer the consequences of the omission.

Sheikh Yacoub Al-Rajbi, one of the senior members of the family, stated that what pushed the family to take this decision was that collaborators have been selling land to Jews. “This is a dangerous thing, and I want to preserve my family’s reputation and good name,” he explained.

The Al-Abdin family in eastern Jerusalem also published its official opinion, stating that it wanted the members of the family to be very careful about selling property or land to anyone, and to consult with senior relatives. The family warned that anyone who sold homes to Jews would be punished and the family would remove its protection.

In the town of A-Ram in north Jerusalem, there was a large meeting of members of the Al-Natsheh clan, in which family members were warned against selling property and land to Jews.

The Palestinian Authority is under considerable pressure as a result of this phenomenon, and it is highly doubtful that they will be able to prevent it. The sums offered for these homes by Jewish organizations active in eastern Jerusalem are very high, creating a major financial temptation.

The struggle for eastern Jerusalem is in full force. Jewish organizations are legally purchasing Palestinian homes, and the Palestinian Authority has no legal means to prevent it. A Palestinian who is in a financial crisis and in need of a large sum in cash can always be found.

For this reason, the PA is acting through its intelligence services to intimidate the residents of eastern Jerusalem and deter them. Such activity is unlawful and in clear breach of the Oslo Accords. As a result of its powerlessness in the face of this phenomenon, the PA is now trying to activate tribal-social forces in an effort to limit it. However, it will not put a stop to it completely.

Yoni Ben Menachem, a veteran Arab affairs and diplomatic commentator for Israel Radio and Television, is a senior Middle East analyst for the Jerusalem Center. He served as director general and chief editor of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.

 

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