The Israeli justice ministry has recently completed the process of transferring ownership of 16 dunums of Palestinian land in the east Jerusalem town of Abu Dis to the occupation state on a temporary basis.
According to Israel Hayom newspaper this tract of land which lies on a green hilltop between the separation wall in Abu Dis and the eastern border of the Jabel Mukaber neighborhood could soon lead to confrontations between local residents and the Israeli police.
The newspaper claimed that civil researchers hired by the custodian of absentee properties department in the justice ministry obtained proof that these dunums were part of a larger piece of land that was purchased by Jews in the early 20th century and that a court ruling confirmed the researchers’ findings.
It added that the ministry had already located some of the Jewish heirs of these dunums of land pointing out that a handful of Arab homes currently stands on parts of the land.
