Zionism, the historic return of the Jewish People to their land, and cynical Arab leaders\' abuse of individuals - these elements all came together once again last night in yet another chapter of the continuing saga of Jewish history. Arab squatters in Jewish homes in Jerusalem, persuaded by Palestinian Authority officials not to accept generous compensation from an Israeli reclamation group, have ended up with nothing - while the Jews return home.
Chaim Silberstein, of Yeshivat Beit Orot in eastern Jerusalem, explained to Arutz-7\'s Yosef Zalmanson what happened:
\"After a long drawn-out legal battle, ending with a Supreme Court ruling vindicating our position, some 50 policemen came last night to enforce the law and remove the squatters from these buildings in the Shimon HaTzaddik neighborhood [Arabs call it Sheikh Jarrah, about a mile north of the Old City\'s Damascus Gate]. This neighborhood used to be a thriving Jewish neighborhood up until 1948, when we lost the eastern part of Jerusalem and Arabs took over the Jewish houses. It\'s taken us many years, but we\'re now in the process of reclaiming that neighborhood. We would prefer to do this by paying compensation to the squatters, in order to save us long legal battles, and we have done this in previous cases. However, if they refuse this compensation, we are forced to take them to court. Those who were evacuated last night not only refused compensation - at the behest of the PA officials in the Orient House and the like - but also violated their tenants\' rights by refusing to pay any rent… They also forged documents, but in the end, court after court ruled that they must leave the buildings in favor of the original Jewish owners.\"
Uri Bank, Parliamentary aide to MK Benny Elon and a member of the first group to renew this Jewish neighborhood about four years ago, told Arutz-7,
\"There are several organizations in Jerusalem that are active in redeeming Jewish lands in Jerusalem - they don\'t just talk, like some of our politicians, but they actually take action: Elad in the City of David, Ateret Cohanim in the Old City, and ourselves in Shimon HaTzaddik and elsewhere… Unfortunately, in 1948 the Arabs took over and occupied many homes that belonged to Jews. Also unfortunately, in 1967 [when we returned to all of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War], we did not complete the job of reclaiming the homes that according to all records belonged to Jewish owners. Of late, after several years of a judicial process which reached all the court levels, it was ruled that these Arab squatters, who are not even willing to pay rent, are in violation of the law, and the police came and evacuated them.\"
He said that the plan is now to refurbish the buildings and make them ready for \"20 or more young couples who want to take part in this Zionist enterprise and help make this neighborhood Jewish once again. We already have 6-7 families living there, with eight children, plus a synagogue that stood there 60 years ago and is now once again in daily use by a kollel [Jewish study group], headed by Rabbi Benny Elon.\" In answer to a question, Bank said that the families will pay some rent, \"but not a lot; you must remember that many Jews are still afraid to come to this neighborhood, and our goal is to change that.\" Chaim Silberstein concluded, \"The Shimon HaTzaddik neighborhood is very much in the process of once again becoming Jewish.\"
Chaim Silberstein, of Yeshivat Beit Orot in eastern Jerusalem, explained to Arutz-7\'s Yosef Zalmanson what happened:
\"After a long drawn-out legal battle, ending with a Supreme Court ruling vindicating our position, some 50 policemen came last night to enforce the law and remove the squatters from these buildings in the Shimon HaTzaddik neighborhood [Arabs call it Sheikh Jarrah, about a mile north of the Old City\'s Damascus Gate]. This neighborhood used to be a thriving Jewish neighborhood up until 1948, when we lost the eastern part of Jerusalem and Arabs took over the Jewish houses. It\'s taken us many years, but we\'re now in the process of reclaiming that neighborhood. We would prefer to do this by paying compensation to the squatters, in order to save us long legal battles, and we have done this in previous cases. However, if they refuse this compensation, we are forced to take them to court. Those who were evacuated last night not only refused compensation - at the behest of the PA officials in the Orient House and the like - but also violated their tenants\' rights by refusing to pay any rent… They also forged documents, but in the end, court after court ruled that they must leave the buildings in favor of the original Jewish owners.\"
Uri Bank, Parliamentary aide to MK Benny Elon and a member of the first group to renew this Jewish neighborhood about four years ago, told Arutz-7,
\"There are several organizations in Jerusalem that are active in redeeming Jewish lands in Jerusalem - they don\'t just talk, like some of our politicians, but they actually take action: Elad in the City of David, Ateret Cohanim in the Old City, and ourselves in Shimon HaTzaddik and elsewhere… Unfortunately, in 1948 the Arabs took over and occupied many homes that belonged to Jews. Also unfortunately, in 1967 [when we returned to all of Jerusalem in the Six-Day War], we did not complete the job of reclaiming the homes that according to all records belonged to Jewish owners. Of late, after several years of a judicial process which reached all the court levels, it was ruled that these Arab squatters, who are not even willing to pay rent, are in violation of the law, and the police came and evacuated them.\"
He said that the plan is now to refurbish the buildings and make them ready for \"20 or more young couples who want to take part in this Zionist enterprise and help make this neighborhood Jewish once again. We already have 6-7 families living there, with eight children, plus a synagogue that stood there 60 years ago and is now once again in daily use by a kollel [Jewish study group], headed by Rabbi Benny Elon.\" In answer to a question, Bank said that the families will pay some rent, \"but not a lot; you must remember that many Jews are still afraid to come to this neighborhood, and our goal is to change that.\" Chaim Silberstein concluded, \"The Shimon HaTzaddik neighborhood is very much in the process of once again becoming Jewish.\"