Court gives Jerusalem property - held by Arab squatters since 1948 - back to Jewish owners

Arutz 7

Jerusalem Magistrates Court Justice Anna Schneider ordered the evacuation of three East Jerusalem properties Tuesday, as they were found to have been purchased by Jews before 1948 but then invaded by Arabs. 

The three properties in question were purchased in the thirties by the Arica family, Jews who immigrated to Israel from Syria. In 1948, the family fled after the Jordanians tried to kill and rape the sons and daughters of the family while the men fought on various fronts.[...]

But the property was eventually restored due to the effort of Jerusalem City Council member Aryeh King. [...]

On Tuesday, Schneider ruled that the Arab residents were unable to prove their rights to the property, and that the documents were highly likely to have been forged. 

"The defendant failed to prove that the rent was paid," she added. "He did not even present one receipt for the rent." 

For these and other claims which arose during the hearing, the justice deemed the tenant's claims against King "irrelevant." 

"The defendant must vacate the leased property and is not entitled to any compensation," she added, noting that the tenants "have no one to blame but themselves." 

The judge further ordered the defendant to pay court costs and attorneys' fees amounting to 15,000 shekels ($3928).