30 June 2022; MEMO: The Israeli High Court yesterday delayed a decision to expel a Palestinian family from its home in Wadi Al-Hilwa of occupied Jerusalem's Silwan neighbourhood.
The court, according to Safa news agency, said it was awaiting a reply from the Custodian of Absentee Property on why he had declared the house as an absentee property without checking the heirs of the previous owner.
Lawyer Mohammad Dahla told Safa that the house was originally owned by the late Musa Samreen, who had granted unconditional permission for Mohammad Samreen and his wife to live in it.
The lawyer said that he had explained this in the appeal filed to the court prior, noting that the court accepted the appeal and decided to wait for the reply from the Custodian of Absentee Property.
He said that the court asked the Custodian of Absentee Property to clarify the reason why it had decided that the house is an absentee property while the resident, who might have a will from the late owner, is living in the house.
Israeli District Court has previously decided to expel the Palestinian family from the house in favour of settlement groups and the El Ad Settlement Fund.
The Absentees' Property Law was the main legal instrument used by Israel to take possession of the land belonging to the internal and external Palestinian refugees, and Muslim Waqf properties across the state.
