Palestinians sue for NIS 40 million for land taken by settlers

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Palestinian landowners on whose property the West Bank settlement of Homesh was constructed are demanding NIS 40 million in compensation and the right to access their land. The state is trying to reach an out-of-court compromise in order to avoid a precedent setting ruling.

The Palestinians brought their claims to the Civil Administration through Ramallah-based lawyers, arguing that the West Bank land where Homesh had stood, before it was evacuated during the 2005 disengagement, belonged to them.

In recent Justice Ministry talks, Attorney General Mike Blass concluded that if the case goes to trial, the court is likely to rule in favor of the plaintiffs. As such, efforts are being made to reach an agreement that would enable compensating the property owners without the case becoming a legal precedent.

The Israel Defense Forces took over the property by means of "holding warrants." This means security forces are taking over the land in order to secure the area.

These types of warrants do not change the ownership of the property, and when the warrant expires, the property is restored to its owners.

Meanwhile, the owners are entitled to compensation for the use of the land."

more