Shortly after the two families entered the home, situated near Herod’s Gate, dozens of Arabs surrounded the house and attempted to break into it.
By TPS
Two Israeli families entered a house purchased from an Arab on Ma’alot Ha-Prachim Street in the Muslim Quarter in Jerusalem’s Old City, on Tuesday. Shortly after they entered the home, situated near Herod’s Gate, dozens of Arabs surrounded the house and attempted to break into it. They threw rocks and rioted.
Police forces arrested several of the Arab rioters.
According to Palestinian sources, the house was sold to the Israelis by the land dealer Issam Aqel, a resident of Jerusalem who was arrested in October by the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Security Service on the suspicion that he had sold land to Jews.
Land sales by Arabs to Israelis are considered treason by the PA because they supposedly threaten the founding of a future state.
Aqel, who is an American citizen, was sentenced to life in prison but was released in January under pressure from the U.S. government. He has reportedly been transferred to the U.S.
PA Forges Documents
An Israeli source said that the PA has attempted to present documents allegedly showing that the house was not purchased legally.
According to the source, a lawyer working for the PA was questioned by the Israeli police last week after he filed a complaint regarding the purchase of the house, during which he presented the false documents. He was questioned under the suspicion that he presented falsified documents.
The source said that the document was a complete forgery, or that Aqel was forced to sign it while in PA custody and under the threat of further torture.