EAST JERUSALEM RESIDENT ARRESTED IN ON-GOING

C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001509 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH/PASCUAL E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2017 TAGS: KWBG PGOV PREL PTER PHUM KPAL IS SUBJECT: EAST JERUSALEM RESIDENT ARRESTED IN ON-GOING OWNERSHIP AND EVICTION DISPUTE REF: A. JERUSALEM 01389 ¶B. JERUSALEM 01257 Classified By: Consul General Jake Walles, per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary. Shaykh Jarrah neighborhood resident Maher Hanoun was arrested in early August for resisting eviction from his home. Hanoun's lawyer told PolOff August 12 that he is workingto free Hanoun pending resolution of the disputeover ownership of the land, but the courts have made no progress in settling the issue. Fawzieh al-Kurd, who lives nearby (Ref B),told PolOff August 12 that her family lives in constant fear of being evicted. End Summary. Shaykh Jarrah Resident Arrested For Resisting Eviction -------------- ¶2. (C) Maher Hanoun, a resident of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shaykh Jarrah, turned himself in to the Israeli police in early August after learning that Israeli courts issued a warrant for his arrest. Hanoun was jailed for 90 days, because he refused to evacuate his home after an Israeli cort ordered that it be turned over to Israelis who claimed ownership. (Note: Hanoun appealed to th ConGen for help prior to his arrest, per Ref A. End note) ¶3. (C) Nadia Hanoun, wife of Maher Hnoun, told PolOff August 14 that members of Fata planned an open-ended sit in at their home staring the evening of August 14, and said that she xpected many to attend. She said Hanoun was traferred to the Ramla prison to serve his sentence, ading that she hoped he would be released in timefor Ramadan. (Note: Ramadan begins the week of eptember 1st. End note) Lawyer Wants Courts to"Freeze" Situation Pending Final Decision -------------- ¶4. (C) Hanoun's lawyer, Salih Abu Hussein, told PolOff August 12 tha he appealed to the court to release Hanoun pendng a decision on ownership of the land. Abu Hussen said the documents used by the Israelis to regster the land with the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) in 1972 have since been proven false. He saidhe appealed to the courts to review the registraion in August 2006 and has asked the courts to feeze the situation until ownership is determined, hich the courts have refused to do. He said no date has been set for the courts to review the registration. Lawyer: Hanoun, al-Kurd Homes "Test Cases" for Future Evictions -------------- ¶5. (C) Abu Hussein said the courts probably will release Hanoun only on the condition that he evacuate his house, but, if Hanoun leaves the house, it will probably be demolished to make room for a new Israeli development. Abu Hussein said the cases of Hanoun and the al-Kurd family are test cases. Other Shaykh Jarrah families fear that, if Israeli courts decide against Hanoun and al-Kurd, their homes ill be targeted next. Al-Kurd Family Still Uncertain of Future -------------- ¶6. (C) Another Shaykh Jarrah resident, Fawzieh al-Kurd, told PolOff August 12 that Israeli courts have not reversed the decision to evict her family and that they live under the constant threat of being forcibly removed from their home. She said the presence of international activists and USG interest has prevented the eviction, but she fears that, once interest wanes, the Israelis will act. She repeatedly compared her case to eviction orders against Israelis, who are allowed to stay in their homes despite a court ruling. WALLES