Israelis start building new Jewish section in Hebron

Judge rejects Peace Now appeal, clearing way for work to begin on Chabad Quarter.

By David Hellerman, World Israel News

After years of legal wrangling, Hebron Jew began construction on a new Jewish area this week.

The compound, referred to as the Chabad Quarter, in the Hezkiyahu neighborhood, will include 31 apartment units as well as two kindergartens.

The property, just off Shuhada St., is on land originally owned by the Hebron Jewish community.

According to the Jerusalem Post, after Jordan seized Hebron during the 1948 War of Independence, the property was treated as abandoned property and used as a school and bus station under a protected tenancy agreement.

Israel respected that protected tenancy after taking over Judea and Samaria in 1967, allowing the Palestinians there to continue leasing it.

However, the IDF seized the property in 1980 for security reasons and used it as an army base.

In 2017, the government, citing the property’s original Jewish ownership, approved construction of the Chabad Quarter, earmarking $6 million for the project.

The Palestinian municipality of Hebron and Peace Now took legal action, arguing that the property should revert back to the Palestinian tenants when the security reasons expire.

But a district court judge rejected the appeal two weeks ago, clearing the way for construction to begin.

Around 700 Jews live in Hebron’s Old City while another 7,300 live in nearby Kiryat Arba.