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Right-wing activists gathering at the abandoned settlement of Homesh last summer. (Archives)
Last update - 12:50 13/01/2008
Palestinians sue for NIS 40 million for land taken by settlers
By Barak Ravid , Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Homesh, Palestinians, Israel 

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.
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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.

To date, there have been nearly no instances of Palestinians demanding compensation for the use of their property. One of the reasons is that receiving usage fees from Israel is perceived to be akin to selling the land, or agreeing to its takeover by the IDF.

Many of the property owners are also concerned that if they ask for usage fees, they will be targetted by Palestinian groups and dubbed as collaborators with the occupation.

When warrants initially were issued for the IDF takeover of the property, the Palestinians turned down a compensation offer. Following the evacuation of Homesh, the owners decided to demand compensation.

Several weeks ago, the Justice Ministry held talks on the subject. Civil Administration officials told their ministry counterparts that the Palestinians are demanding NIS 40 million in compensation for the use of the property. Ministry officials believe that a minimum payment of NIS 20 million will have to be made, even if the case is resolved out of court.

A major sticking point among government authorities is which ministry will have to pay the compensation. At this point, it is most likely to come out of Defense Ministry funds.

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      1.   Go to court. Have a trail. Set a precedent. Punish land theft. 06:09  |  POP 13/01/08
      2.   Who turned on the lights in palestine? 07:04  |  Danite 13/01/08
      3.   re: POP 07:32  |  Efox 13/01/08
      4.   Hello Danite 09:28  |  Mark of Lewiston 13/01/08
      5.   Pay them 09:51  |  Dav 13/01/08
      6.   Arabs lies plus Blackmail = Dhimmis and Jizya or Jihad 10:11  |  Joseph E . 13/01/08
      7.   Sure, compensation for thefts by Arabs too 10:15  |  Joe Sittizen 13/01/08
      8.   Give Jews back Jerusalem and Hebron land 10:17  |  JD 13/01/08
      9.   Kibbutzes must also return our land 10:19  |  Phil Stein 13/01/08
      10.   Great, when do they pay us for Gaza? 10:19  |  Gili 13/01/08
      11.   Palestinians took land from Israel coming from Egypt(Gensis10-14) 10:21  |  sam 13/01/08
      12.   pay Jews for land stolen by Arabs 10:21  |  Shoshannah 13/01/08
      13.   Less than 1% of the annual gift from America to Israel 10:23  |  Natallie Durson 13/01/08
      14.   The ilogic of #3 EFOX and Judeo-Facists 10:31  |  B`Galil 13/01/08
      15.   And if they pay them will it belong to them? 10:36  |  Iz Ray Leigh 13/01/08
      16.   Give them nothing, Pal`s are squatters on Jewish land. 10:37  |  Avraham 13/01/08
      17.   # 1 POP 10:41  |  Jim 13/01/08
      18.   Purchase or rent? 11:00  |  Jim 13/01/08
      19.   Payment for Occupied Land 11:03  |  Avraham 13/01/08
      20.   Homesh is just another present of the Likud to us 11:04  |  S 13/01/08
      21.   Pay them and let them go to Jordan 11:05  |  e.m Jordan is Pales 13/01/08
      22.   POP@#1 11:20  |  akiva (zionist) 13/01/08
      23.   Court case 11:30  |  Choni Davidowitz 13/01/08
      24.   God how slimy 11:37  |  Colin Wright 13/01/08
      25.   so why are the bastards vilifying israel? 11:38  |  harzion 13/01/08
      26.   JD #8 11:40  |  melchizedek 13/01/08
      27.   They refused the compensations 11:43  |  KUTW 13/01/08
      28.   5. Dav: Pay Israel 11:48  |  KUTW 13/01/08
      29.   #9 phil i stein now going to give references from 11:49  |  v hardman 13/01/08
      30.   Finally, they are recognising Israel exists 12:01  |  Tomi 13/01/08
      31.   Re:Danite,Who turned on the lights in palestine? 12:08  |  e.m 13/01/08
      32.   Palestinian stupidity 12:18  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/01/08
      33.   Compensation? 12:25  |  Nechama 13/01/08
      34.   what was offered to these Arabs in 1947 12:32  |  Joseph E . 13/01/08
      35.   Israel is not a civilized country; a fact! 12:53  |  Dutch Dirk 13/01/08
      36.   The IDF land record thieves must have slipped up 12:58  |  Clickfool 13/01/08
      37.   pay them nothing 13:17  |  vladimir 13/01/08
      38.   Jim from Murfreesboro,Tn 13:18  |  Charlie 13/01/08
      39.   At least this.... 13:26  |  Esther 13/01/08
      40.   who can the parents of the Jews murdered by the PA sue? 13:30  |  Joe 13/01/08
      41.   Buy Them Out 13:42  |  Daniel Jackson 13/01/08
      42.   #35 land takeover 14:06  |  EA 13/01/08
      43.   NIS 40 MILLION IS LAUGHABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR ZIONIST 14:08  |  indrajaya 13/01/08
      44.   #28 KTUW 14:12  |  Chris Linthwaite 13/01/08
      45.   The inconvenient truth 14:18  |  Chris Linthwaite 13/01/08
      46.   CHONI DAVIDOWITZ - GOT IT WRONG, AGAIN 14:42  |  Stephen Connor 13/01/08
      47.   Finally the palestinians are doing it right! 14:54  |  dana 13/01/08
      48.   Kitchen Issue 15:10  |  Nechama 13/01/08
      49.   We will also sue you sooner or later !!!!!!!!! 15:18  |  Palestinan-German 13/01/08
      50.   zionist radicals squeal 15:20  |  fadi 13/01/08
      51.   Doing it right? 15:20  |  Nechama 13/01/08
      52.   dana before you get carried away by your curses 15:21  |  danaofarabia 13/01/08
      53.   Dutch Prik 15:25  |  Steve 13/01/08
      54.   Jews own the land 15:33  |  Christian 13/01/08
      55.   44. Chris Linthwaite 15:40  |  KUTW 13/01/08
      56.   WHEN WILL ARABS PAY JEWS BACK COMPENSATION...... 15:42  |  Dagma 13/01/08
      57.   Perhaps "Christian" can enlighten me # 54 15:52  |  Clickfool 13/01/08
      58.   Danite #2 Don`t know but keep `em on 15:57  |  Tzfonit 13/01/08
      59.   Now You See It.....Now You Don`t 16:07  |  Klaudia 13/01/08
      60.   Understanding the Palestinians 16:08  |  Tosefta 13/01/08
      61.   to e.m.#31 16:18  |  Ilya 13/01/08
      62.   #47, the number is so low because they still have the land 16:19  |  Hani 13/01/08
      63.   #57 16:21  |  Christian 13/01/08
      64.   #55 KUTW 16:23  |  Chris Linthwaite 13/01/08
      65.   to Dutch Dirk#35 16:27  |  Ilya 13/01/08
      66.   Complicated Case 16:39  |  Jeff Northridge 13/01/08
      67.   Christian and the Rainbow 16:43  |  Jim 13/01/08
      68.   WHERE are TERROR VICTIMS lawsuits against PA 16:43  |  B 13/01/08
      69.   80-100 Billion in Stolen Land and Property 16:47  |  B 13/01/08
      70.   For Christian, who doesn`t know his Old Testament # 63 16:49  |  Clickfool 13/01/08
      71.   more power to the Palestinians 16:54  |  Arine 13/01/08
      72.   Driving off the Cliff 16:57  |  Or Ha`am 13/01/08
      73.   #57 Clicky: how long it took for kangaroos to hop to the Ark? 17:04  |  AliciaYasmeen 13/01/08
      74.   #72 Orha`am 17:07  |  Chris Linthwaite 13/01/08
      75.   Clickfool the total and absolute fool 17:13  |  Yakov 13/01/08
      76.   Danite and Mark of Lewiston...... 17:22  |  Lynn 13/01/08
      77.   Clickfool 57. 17:26  |  David Nigel Braham 13/01/08
      78.   Tosefta # 60 Legal Obstacles 17:35  |  Jeff Northridge 13/01/08
      79.   does the land really belong to the jews? 17:56  |  consider 13/01/08
      80.   to christian "fool" 17:56  |  fadi 13/01/08
      81.   Take the cure (Jeff Northridge #78) 18:17  |  Tosefta 13/01/08
      82.   Only NIS 40M? 18:20  |  JW 13/01/08
      83.   Lynn - Fighting in Court 18:33  |  Mark of Lewiston 13/01/08
      84.   #75 Yakov 18:34  |  Chris Linthwaite 13/01/08
      85.   #79 Consider 18:38  |  Chris Linthwaite 13/01/08
      86.   ZIONIST ENTITY ITSELF IS ILLEGAL 18:42  |  JH 13/01/08
      87.   Sue The Bastards! 18:48  |  Jeff Northridge 13/01/08
      88.   Tzfonit and Mark of Lewiston 18:49  |  Danite 13/01/08
      89.   Mr. Linwaith 18:49  |  Or Ha`am 13/01/08
      90.   Lynn 18:50  |  Danite 13/01/08
      91.   For AliciaYasmeen, on those hop, hop, hopping kangaroos # 73 18:50  |  Clickfool 13/01/08
      92.   For David Nigel Braham # 77 18:52  |  Clickfool 13/01/08
      93.   For Yakov # 75 18:59  |  Clickfool 13/01/08
      94.   #87 Bravo Jeff 19:04  |  Jim 13/01/08
      95.   #63 Christian 19:13  |  Boycott 13/01/08
      96.   "Palestinian stupidity" 19:31  |  Aaron Levitt 13/01/08
      97.   Agreed 19:41  |  Sharon 13/01/08
      98.   Palestinian land use compensation 19:55  |  leonard weiss 13/01/08
      99.   #70 19:55  |  Christian 13/01/08
      100.   Chris Linthwaite 19:59  |  H 13/01/08
      101.   #86 excellent comment 20:08  |  Jim 13/01/08
      102.   For Christian, on Australia # 99 20:27  |  Clickfool 13/01/08
      103.   86. JH: HAMAS ET AL, ILLEGAL ENTITIES 20:35  |  KUTW 13/01/08
      104.   Bring the case to the united states fedreal court 20:39  |  robert carrington 13/01/08
      105.   99. the so called christian: please dont tell me you are US educa 20:55  |  Christian in USA 13/01/08
      106.   64.Chris Linthwaite 20:57  |  KUTW 13/01/08
      107.   B - G,ood Question 20:59  |  Stephen Connor 13/01/08
      108.   106. KUTW all the harm they are doing defending againt zionist 21:06  |  Int.Law 13/01/08
      109.   #108 Int Law re Kutw 21:32  |  Labhras 13/01/08
      110.   To Intlaw #108 21:34  |  Or Ha`am 13/01/08
      111.   an opportunity for the left, again. 21:39  |  Mark 13/01/08
      112.   #91 Clicky: a small step to G-D, a giant leap to a kangaroo 21:43  |  AliciaYasmeen 13/01/08
      113.   Tosefta #81 - commiserating re Jeff Northridge 21:47  |  dana 13/01/08
      114.   danaofarabia #52 - those under israeli jurisdiction/ 21:55  |  dana 13/01/08
      115.   #57 Clickfool: Q&A Time 22:07  |  Jim 13/01/08
      116.   108. Int.Law, Labhras Labhras 22:10  |  KUTW 13/01/08
      117.   # 26 Melchisedek 22:22  |  Jim 13/01/08
      118.   i wonder how these "owners" will actually prove ownership? 22:36  |  v hardman 13/01/08
      119.   Tzfonit #58 22:40  |  Gabe1 13/01/08
      120.   Clickfool the total and absolute fool 22:46  |  Yakov 13/01/08
      121.   WORKS BOTH WAYS 22:49  |  TOBIA 13/01/08
      122.   #3 Dutch Dirk 23:05  |  Jim 13/01/08
      123.   dana "whats pride" 23:10  |  danaofarabia 13/01/08
      124.   Uncle Joe (Dana #113) 23:12  |  Tosefta 13/01/08
      125.   dana dont you feel the slightest bit queasy 23:13  |  danaofarabia 13/01/08
      126.   Sure all should pay for stolen properties 23:26  |  David Israel 13/01/08
      127.   # 38 Charlie 23:27  |  Jim 13/01/08
      128.   How long ago did they come 2 the HolyLand? 23:36  |  sam 13/01/08
      129.   tzfonit #58-2nd try 23:39  |  GABE!!! 13/01/08
      130.   #47 Dana 23:40  |  Jim 13/01/08
      131.   dana and palestinian preference for israeli rule 23:45  |  danaofarabia 13/01/08
      132.   KUTW?no actually thats israels self seving interpretation 23:46  |  Int.Law 13/01/08
      133.   Come on: What is a few millions to Pals? 23:47  |  Anti-hypocrates 13/01/08
      134.   118. victoria softwoan should not consern herself w/legalitys 23:52  |  casual observer 13/01/08
      135.   #102 00:03  |  Christian 14/01/08
      136.   #105 00:09  |  Christian 14/01/08
      137.   # 64 Christian 00:12  |  Jim 14/01/08
      138.   how i know if someone is jewish or not 00:16  |  GABE1 14/01/08
      139.   #116 Kutw re international Law 00:24  |  Labhras 14/01/08
      140.   To 34 00:27  |  Dan 14/01/08
      141.   #72 Or Ha`am 00:40  |  Jim 14/01/08
      142.   # 118 v hardman 00:51  |  Lynn 14/01/08
      143.   # 41 Daniel Jackson 00:54  |  Jim 14/01/08
      144.   David Israel #126, sounds like a plan 00:58  |  Hani 14/01/08
      145.   #105 01:00  |  Christian 14/01/08
      146.   erratum 01:03  |  Jim 14/01/08
      147.   I do like this bit.... 01:05  |  Johnboy 14/01/08
      148.   A big "head`s up" to David Teich! 01:14  |  Johnboy 14/01/08
      149.   #66 Where you go wrong, Jeff 01:21  |  Johnboy 14/01/08
      150.   REspond To FADI 01:27  |  Tobia 14/01/08
      151.   #78 Eminent domain is not an option here, Jeff 01:38  |  Johnboy 14/01/08
      152.   to rober carrington 02:05  |  rasputin 14/01/08
      153.   Why do ARABS persist in OCCUPYING Jewish land 02:29  |  Dolly 14/01/08
      154.   joe sittizen 8 02:32  |  r 14/01/08
      155.   joe sittizen 8 02:35  |  realism 14/01/08
      156.   Get every last shekel 03:37  |  betz55 14/01/08
      157.   Jim #137 04:18  |  Christian 14/01/08
      158.   153. do9lly why persist in bring an idiot 04:42  |  jus wanna know 14/01/08
      159.   PLO has always respected pre-1948 Jewish land claims 05:11  |  mim786 14/01/08
      160.   #103 AND DOLLY, WITH YOU IGNORANCE IS BLISS 05:56  |  JH 14/01/08
      161.   and those of them whom you let remain shall vex you in the land 06:24  |  Joseph E . 14/01/08
      162.   re: B`Galil 06:40  |  Efox 14/01/08
      163.   king Leonidas to pals 07:05  |  by Rasputin 14/01/08
      164.   Palestine land 07:50  |  Theda Bara 14/01/08
      165.   #162 theda bara and facts do not connect 08:24  |  v hardman 14/01/08
      166.   re Dana/Chameleon poster 09:22  |  Jasmine Murphy 14/01/08
      167.   For AliciaYasmeen, on Pangaea # 112 09:47  |  Clickfool 14/01/08
      168.   To betz55 # 156 - Living in a dreamworld..... 11:16  |  Dolly 14/01/08
      169.   re: Theda Bara 12:19  |  Efox 14/01/08
      170.   re: Phil Stein 12:20  |  Efox 14/01/08
      171.   To jus wanna know # 158 - If you really wanna know..... 12:42  |  Dolly 14/01/08
      172.   To Theda Bara # 164 `Palestine Land` ....... 14:21  |  Arrabella 14/01/08
      173.   DAGMA # 56 - Very True when will Jews be compensated 15:07  |  Onlooker 14/01/08
      174.   #167 Clickfool 15:27  |  AliciaYasmeen 14/01/08
      175.   ### 98 leonard weiss 17:11  |  ramachandran nair 14/01/08
      176.   #73, 99, 174, and others 19:00  |  Heinz 28/01/08
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