Contested Hebron house belongs to settlers, court rules

The sale to settlers of a Hebron house known as Beit Hameriva, or “house of contention,” was ruled legal by the Jerusalem District Court on Thursday.

The court ruled that the building, located on the main road between Hebron and Kiryat Arba, would be handed over to the settlers within 30 days.

Following the ruling, Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who also serves as chairman of the recently-established Ministerial Committee on Settlement Affairs, urged Defense Minister Ehud Barak to approve the sale and enable the Jewish settlers to return to the building which was purchased “by law.”

The building was originally purchased from its Palestinian owners by the Tal construction company in 2007. Ownership was then transferred to the local Jewish community.

The sale was disputed in the High Court, and in late 2008 the IDF evacuated settlers who had moved into the house.

At the time, the High Court ruled the settlers did not have a solid claim to the four-story building. The evacuation caused riots in which two Palestinians were injured.

The contested building in Hebron is just one in a series of buildings that Israeli residents in the area have claimed ownership for. Settlers have been attempting to purchase property in Hebron for several years; many of the purchases have been contested in court.

AP contributed to this report.