PA court: Sale of Palestinian land to Israelis is punishable by death
In statement, Palestine General Prosecution says ruling is aimed to protect the Palestinian national project to establish an independent Palestinian state.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news West BankThe sale of Palestinian land to Israelis is punishable by death, a Palestinian Authority court ruled on Sunday, in what Palestinian officials are saying is a necessary measure to ensure the founding of a future state.
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Palestinians work at a construction site in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Elazar, near Bethlehem, Tuesday, July 7, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
Judge Ta'et At-Twil, according to a report by the Palestinian news agency Ma'an, ruled that selling, or attempting to sell, land to a foreign country was a criminal offense which could result in the death penalty.
In a statement released following the ruling, the Palestine General Prosecution said the move represented "a consolidation of the previous legal principle," adding that the "ruling aimed to protect the Palestinian national project to establish an independent Palestinian state."
Last year, a Palestinian military court sentenced a man to death by hanging for selling land to an Israeli company, with then prosecutor Issa Amer saying that the defendant had sold land that didn't belong to him in the village of Beit Ummar using forged documents.
Land sales are considered treason by the Palestinians because of their long-running dispute with the Israelis, however the sentence is unlikely to be implemented.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas routinely withholds the required approval for executions. Several others are on death row as suspected informants for Israel.
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Abbas has effectively commuted al the sentences. So no practical death penalty exists for this crime. Many posters here are offended not by the penalty, but that the crime exists. That is too bad. It is a consequence of living under occupation for over 40 years. Make a peace treaty with provisions that the law will expire at a certain point in the implementation process of the treaty, say when all Israeli troops are gone from a place or area and cannot under any circumstance return and no claim of Israeli sovereignty be claimed or pursued. Both Palestinians and Israelis, Muslims and Jews and Christians can buy and sell land in the USA without any concern because neither Israel nor Palestine has any hope of a sovereignty claim or any exercise o such a claim inside the USA.
The Death penalty is found all over the world for many and varied reasons. Israel has it for people like Eichmann. Israel also does targeted assassinations without trial for political and security reasons. In the United States, the penalty is used and sometimes abused. Some would say it cannot be justified. They are wrong. There are monsters other than terrorists and political enemies. Read about Shasta Groene and the monster Duncan.
It is right that not one sq millimetre be sold to these racist bigots.
The land West of the Jordan river is all Israel proper. The sooner this is accepted, the faster peace will come. You can see the PLO terrorist are dishonorable and engage in ethnic cleansing.
Israelis use land purchases to gain footholds in Arab areas and drive Palestinians into ghettos. The fact that Israelis have much more money than Palestinians should not allow Israelis to buy Palestinian land, kidneys, etc. It isn't a question of land, it is a question of ethics.
I am the biggest loser on the planet. I wish I could work at Haaretz, but I'm not nearly smart enough. So I guess I'll just have to continue flipping burgers and popping the zits on my greasy forehead
JEWISH NATIONAL FUND BOUGHT LAND FROM ARAB LEADERS. ARE THOSE LEADERS GOING TO BE PUNOSHED OR THE MONEY MADE TAKEN AWAT FROM FAMILIES
If the PA authority does not have a problem executing people for nonviolent crimes what will the future hold for a peace agreement??
When you don't expect the same level of morality from Africans or Arabs or Pakistanis that you expect from Westerners, you are the TRUE RACIST.
We should have the death penalty as well for whomever sells land to arabs...
Just make it legally impossible for non-Jews to buy ANY land in Israel west of the Jordan river.
world would condemn us!!! haha but not for the palestinians when they make such a statement. Doesnt even get picked up by mainstream media. What a two sided joke and a spit in the face for jews.
plestinians show exactly what they are. RASCISTS. Nothing more than that. Where is the UN Human rights organiztionj at this momment. Srely having a glass of wine with Abbas
They are stopping the sale of land to foreigners, all foreigners, not just Israelis. This is in no way racism. Other countries have similar restrictive laws, e.g. Denmark. An Israeli would find it difficult to buy land there.
palestinians cant buy lands in israel, palestinians cant enter israel, palestinians are shot at if participated in peacefull demonstrations, palestinian homes are being demolished in all around palestine, palestinians cant repair their houses in jaffa, the only racist is isral!
Or is there a double standard here?
There are 1.5 million Arabs in Israel. You think none of them can buy land?
Mexico has banned foreigners from owning land in the past, along with many other countries.
Selling land to a Jew means enabling the construction of a settlement on the land, which may then be lost to Palestine, because Israel is attempting to keep settlements as Israeli territory. From a Palestinian point of view, this is treason. I doubt any country (other than Israel) will understand it differently. It is worth remembering that Israel still has the death penalty for treason in time of war. This is a comparable situation.
& quite another to make it punishable by death. That is barbaric, gruesome and unnecessary. Moreover, why can't Pals stomach Jews or other non-Muslims living in their society????
The law is not aimed at selling to "jews" - that's your anti-semetic subcouncious taking over. the law is selling to any foreigner. so, if a palestinian sells to, say, turkish developers intent on setting up a flotilla supply station, the seller could be put to death. this would be stricken down as unconstitutional in any western state - either because of the nazi-esque preferences to the state's demographics or because of the cruel and unusual punishment. regardless, just because 'treason' can be defined by any society to justify its drachonian actions, does not mean that an outside observer should stand up and applaud such an unusually harsh measure
.. I suggest you contact the Israeli Attorney General. He has the authority to decide on indictments, not me. No need to waste your time on me.
Other sources have said "Jews". I don't think the poster was replying only to what was said in this article. Can anybody clarify what the law is?
Quit with the victim card. The world is sick of it!
They killed some arab 10 years ago who sold land to the Jewish village my cousin lives in. The arab brother also wanted to sell but when he saw that his brother was stabbed to death he was afraid to sell.
Terrorism is all about intimidation.
God promised the lands now occupied by the Palestinians , Arabs to the Jews.In fact they have the title rights to possess the lands which rightly belong to them, but instead have to buy them.To these people I say on judgement day , you have to answer to God if you passed death penalty to the one selling the lands.Who is greater men or God?
Israel agreed to honor Ottoman/British land titles, as part of deal when it became a state. Are you saying only Religious laws matter?
if the Palestinians sell land to Israelis..They are punishable by death..Wonder if . exactly the same prescription would apply to the Jews.selling land to the Arabs. Oh then the roof of the world would fall on their heads.And only recently we saw on TV Jewish farmers selling land to the highest bidder,& most of them are rich Effindies from the Gulf States. How ironic the land that the Jews bought,& many of them malaria-infested. Former pioneers toiled day & night to reclaim the desecrated land,now these people want to sell it. Whose land is it by the way,? does it belong to the individual or is it the government/Socnuth property ?
In Tunisia if a Jew or anyone else wants to buy land there is no problem, we need a real peace for the prosperity of the MENA and the stability. I don't know how it is in Israel but if in Israel an Arab a Palestinian can buy land it must be a reciprocity Good luck for the peace from El Marsa
What if Israel did the same?
Those who are horrified by the use of a death penalty should recall that not all countries are the same. In the US, several states have the death penalty. In some states, it is restricted to murder cases only. Others not. If you are uncertain, Google the name in the caption. Shasta is the sole survivor of a family. Read the story of her family and her captivity. Not all cases are that clear cut. And in some places, proof of innocence is not a bar to execution. Not all issues are easy. In Utah, the person being executed can choose the method of execution - nothing about the death penalty is nice.
Going on a wild goose chase again? Stick to the facts on hand and not your US laws.
someone in the U.S. was executed for selling land? Let's get real! "In the US, several states have the death penalty. In some states, it is restricted to murder cases only. Others not."
There are two entirely separate issues.
This is an unlimited time offer, so hurry today.
Nothing speaks louder.
Build build build! But please do so in Israel, not Palestine.
PA says very strongly NO WAY we can live together. What is good for Judea Samaria is good for Israel. NO WAY ANY SINGLE Arab from PA is implanted in Israel. Absolute NO to the PA 'Right of implantation in Israel'
I am a Palestinian American retiring this year and trying to relocate to Israel. Would like to buy a piece of land to build a house on. Prefer sea view. Price no object. Pls call..........
I have no land to sell, but if you buy land, and if you want to live in Israel and you will respect its laws and people. Then wellcome
facts, dates, figures. registration numbers will make them something other than anti israel hot air !!!!
Israel has a policy like that.
No it really doesn't.
Maybe I should reread it and the settlements are warcrimes indeed, but there is no difference between renting and buying a house. IMHO.
This headline mightn't be considered inflammatory in light of the actual contents of the story, would it? But don't hesitate to run this comment, don't want to upset any of those Tel Aviv comforts, would we?
Everyone is entitle to sell his/her land to whoever he/she want In the 21ST century you can't discriminate against anyone based on religion, race or gender Palestinians will lose the sympathy of the civilized world.
Nowhere to be found as the target isn't Israel. Par for the course.
Israeli Arabs who purchase land in judea and Samaria would never lead to any penalty. Furthermore, if you want to make that distinction between Israelis and Jews, according to the Philistines, which Jews CAN buy land in Judea and Samaria?
which will help stop the erosion of remaining Palestinian land necessary for the state's creation. I doubt any of the sentences will be implemented but better warn the sell-outs.
It was, and is, and shall be Israel.
According to PA Prosecutor-General Ahmed al-Mughni the verdict is aimed at reminding Palestinians that PA law "prohibits selling land to Jews".
And Israelis (unless they belong to the military occupation force) have no business on the wrong side of the green line. After 53 years, a certain penalty is appropriate for them as well. Tar, feathers and a kick in the butt on the way back to Israel for them.
Abbas is trying to plug the leak in the only area where he has some control, but systematically stays execution of those who do sell their land to Israelis. In Israel the problem is solved under the capacious carpet that is the JNF. If enough powers-that-be object to Abbas's current way of doing things, one supposes that that is the road Abbas will take next. All boils down to the same thing though.
they get away with anything.
That may work very well ... See you next Cast Lead.
The kind of Palestinian state I want to see is a parallel of Israel (at least in principle if not in practice). Parliamentary democracy, bilingual official languages freedom of religion with one being more prominently used, no capital punishment. If you don't wish to uphold that then you belong to the Chinese camp and there are too many China-like countries on the planet already.
For those who didn't read the full article, the ruling was about Israelis, not Jews. The penalty is harsh. But the substance of the ruling is consistent with Geneva IV and Israeli law which prohibits land acquisition by force of arms. or any other means from the occupied. Not all Jews are Israeli and not all Israelis are Jews. I have not yet seen one talkback that recognizes the difference between an Israeli and a Jew.
Acquisition by force of arms? You mean RETURNING after Arab ethnic cleansing? How did that make the land Arab,especially as they refused to recognise borders? PS Selling land to Jews not Israelis JEWS is Haram in quite a few Arab countries. Another fact so vigorously ignored by those sitting on the moral high ground.
Could we possibly get some sane commentary on this issue? What does it matter whether it is Jews or Israelis? It is the death penalty which is barbaric here. There is nothing further to say; your attempt to tack on some irrelevant talking points is futile.
Justifying death penalty for breaking appartheid policy directed against Jews. At least it is very clear now what your 'Progressivenes' is worth of.
I'm not in the mood to play pretzel, tonight.
Sometimes they punish guilty people. Sometimes not. They also exist for non-murder crimes. Some weeks, two are executed in Texas alone and not always for murder.
Ducking for cover. Expected better
The PA does not want Palestinian land to be sold to Israeli citizens. It has nothing to do with Judaism. Some settlers are actually Christians (some are of Russian origin for instance).
penalty for selling land???? Pals are simply inexorably violent, even their judges. Sick, as in ill, society.
They will continue to scream their apporval of Islamist policy..until of course a rocket hits her favorite umbrella coffee hut on Dizengoff. Then she will be screaming at Tzahal for not defending her properly. Perhaps she would be better off living in Gaza City or Ramallah....she would be more welcome there as long as her bhurqa isn't too tight
Hate to break it to you, Mark, but here in the US we have a Constitution, and the US Supreme Court has held that applying the death penalty in crimes like this is cruel and unusual punishment and so unconstitutional.
it makes one wonder (and I am a far lefty peacenik) if Palestine could ever succesfully implement democracy. One thing that the headline misleads, though, is that the article states specifically that it is the rule of law regarding land sold to ANY country. So this would go for other Arab state citizens purchasing land in Palestine, or anyone in the West or anywhere at all.
I believe Israeli citizens who secretly work for Hamas are liable to severe penalties, aren't they?
That clause was just inserted so that they could cover their bases, especially so that one day they can say that they don't discriminate, if any Leftists should do the unthinkable and criticism them. The real intention is to prevent Jews from owning land.
Which is what helping Hamas/ Hezballa is about.
The law in question doesn't relate to collaborating with the enemy but selling land. If Israelis are willing to live in the area they buy homes, irrespective of who the government is, why should the seller be sentenced to death? Indeed, all Pals need to do is indicate that they reserve the right to void a transaction, as in voidable not void, in circumstances which warrant that reaction. One circumstance that doesn't warrant that transaction is a purchaser who wants to live in the land of his or her forefathers, either under Israeli or Pal sovereignty.
that selling land to a Muslim in America could be considered, "collaborating with the enemy"?
There actually is a difference between Israeli and Jew. Israelis are officially enemy aliens occupying the Palestinian people. Some Jews are Israelis. But not all Israelis are Jews. Though the Death Penalty is overly harsh, the law is also consistent with Geneva IV which Israel signed on to. That Treaty prohibits Israel from acquiring private land from those under occupation. It does allow temporary use, if rent is paid. But that use must end with the occupation and the land must be returned in its original condition, unless other agreements (not dictates) are made. That is also consistent with Israeli written statute.
Realistically, in practice it would probably be neither. No, this is not a charge of anti-semitism.
It's disputed, so Geneva doesn't apply no matter how much libero-fascists like to misapply laws where they find it convenient.
The law recognizes that land acquisitions can be made by dummy entities that are Israeli but appear to be Arab Israeli, not Jewish. The point is not to diminish Palestine through transfers that would even appear to be to the enemy alien state preventing the recognition of Palestine and Palestinian Sovereignty
Property = sovereignty is Israels logic, plain nonsense, that nobody should follow. You cannot punish civilians for their leaders folly.
Um, this very action is largely the history of the world as we know it. Probably in your next breath, you would tell us that targeting leaders is a war crime. So, by your logic, nobody can do anything about anything. Yet, as history shows, it is being done all the time.
I'm guessing the answer is no. I'm guessing the average Palestinian wpuld have quite a lot of problems buying land in Israel as well, and even if he or she did, they'd never be able to live there,
Let alone condemning. Actually it is your lot that invaded with Arab armies and British mercenaries bent on genocide. You lost , you no longer rule the world,get over it There was no occupation then and there are no borders now.
Please reword your primary statement. Israel never invaded the "palestinian state" as there never has been so to compare Israel, a sovereign state to a non-existing entity is illogical
ofcourse they would not allow it! but the death penalty is archaich, don t you think? is not possible to persuade Palestinians not to sell land to Jews, because that is simply bad for them? because it will allow a repeat of old history? or is money, ie greed, more important for Palestinians and therefore they are eager to sell land just like in the 19th and begining othe 20th century - and finish up loosing what is still left? I do not think Israelis Jews would do this...
Check your facts. One of the big mistakes by the Netanyahu administration was to make publicly-owned land available for sale to private developers resulting in much of it being bought by Arabs, especially Saudis. With Iran, that's a problem more on the Iranian side, since the purchasers would possess Israeli documents inside. Of course, it's just so much easier to spout off anti-Israel bile.
In "anti-semitic terms" it is called racism.
israel has an 20% arab population how about imposing the same terms on them ??? so another horse manure post deodorised
1) your comparison should have mentioned sales of land to Palestinians 2) such sale, albeit unpopular, would never justify the death penalty in Israel where the only person sentenced to death was Eichman. Conclusion: you try to cover up unacceptable Palestinian death penalties with phony arguments.
The death sentence is obviously too harsh, but it's sad to see all the people here who thinK Israelis MUST have the right to buy land in Palestine. There are plenty of countries that have at time banned property sales to non-citizens of the country and obviously that applies even more if the potential buyers come from a hostile country. Israel has already stolen plenty of the West Bank from 'state land' and land expropriated for allegedly military purposes. It seems perfectly reasonable that the PA should try to prevent Pals selling land on which will be built settlements, which Israel will then eventually try to annexe.
1917 ends 500 years of the ottoman empire 1917-1948 land occupied by gt britain as mandatory power 1948-2010 israel succeeds to terms of the 1922 mnadte as jewish state . NO PALESTINE IN THIS HISTORY BOOK
JEWISH NATIONAL FUND BOUGHT LAND FROM ARAB LEADERS. . DEFEND THAT
It's amusing to read Israeli apologists going on about Israel not having a death penalty. It does; it's just not a legal one. Israel sends death squads to kill anyone it suspects of crimes against it - it just doesn't give them a trial.
Israel never invaded Palestine. Israel fought a defensive war against Jordan which was the occupying power on the West Bank . Your post is an exercise is ignorance. The issue is not wether Palestinians can buy land in israel or wehter Hamas or Hezbollah can buy land in Israel the issue which you choose to ignore is that a palestinian would be subject to the death penalty for selling his land to a Jew. How easily you try to obscure that fact in your post. You will never ever acept a fact against the Palestinians that does not agree with your anti Israel agenda.
who pays what to whom.
As he of course would and should. Selling Palestinian land to Jews treason? Yep in every sense of the word.
... selling Pal land to Israelis at this time, when the settlers are blatantly gobbling up the West Bank for free, is treason by any other name...
You don't? Well then my advice is to do you best not to mix up your many different standards, dearie.
So, "routinely withholding" on your say so is supposed to make this law more palatable?
actually its pure racism why cant jews live in a future pal state when pals already live in israel
the KKK also believed that selling land to blacks is punishable by death. But since PA is only killing for land sales to the Jews, this bit of racism will be conveniently ignored by the left wing.
Go learn a difference between "Israeli" and a "Jew". This law is pure racism.
No he cannot but if he could there would not be a death penalty for the sale. Land is sold every day in Israel to Arabs and no death penalty is invoked. Stick to the subject of the story. You obviously agree with this edict.
Me thinks the death penalty seems abit extreme for a land sale to Jews. Question is HO can Obama Hillary and Mitchell seriously think Peace can be achieved withthese people errrrrr barbarians? Death Penalty feh!@
Sometimes twice a week.
Treason is punishable by death in the US as well. I haven't seen Obama make any efforts to rescind this law, so why would he object?
Sometimes twice a week. And not just for murder. And sometimes in the face of innocence.
to ISREALIS not JEWS
Texas proudly executed the third of 3 men who last decade brutally beat, raped and stomped to death 2 innocent teenage girls. There's no denying that innocent people were put to death in the past based on false evidence. But now with DNA testing, the appeals process, etc.; only the guilty are put down. Our motto is "Don't mess with Texas" and we mean it. Come down for a friendly visit or even move here; but for G_d's sake, leave your liberal voting and yankee attitude where you came from.
now she is a patriot,,read oportunist now working the other side.
wonder what the leftists will say here. I assume they'll just spit out their usual hatred for Jews and Israel, but nothing against the usual arab bigotry that we all see. To you self hating Jews, arab terrorist sympathizers, etc, what will you say against a law that's put into place to actually kill someone for selling land? I'm sure nothing like what you would say if Israel would have such a law. You have no problem attacking Israel, Netanyahu, Lieberman, etc. but you'll just find a way to once against brush aside arab laws that are put into place to murder citizens. Brush aside when Imams attack Jews. Brush aside when PA television shows broadcasts of those calling Jews the worst possible derogatory terms to only sow hatred in more generations of arab youth. Brush asside arab cartoons that glorify killing of jews. Brush aside when Arab MKs actually work to undermine Israel. Brush aside arab Holocaust denial. Brush aside arab rejections of any Jewish connection to this land specifically Jerusalem, Hevron the West Bank. The PA court again passes a law that we haven't seen since the Nazi Nuremberg laws, what will you self hating Jews and arab terrorist sympathizers say against it?
So how to end the conflict between pals and israelis is my question to you? do you have any reasonable answer?
...the death penalty in this case, though they find it so objectionable when used in murder cases in the United States
Somehow, I think that they'll choose killing people over a Jew living in "Palestine."
During these talks, when the topic of East Jerusalem going to the palestinians, Abbas suggested that he would be willing to negotiate for the right of a small number of jews to live in a palestinian state. I wonder what he wanted in return?
Isn't buying the land the opposite of stealing it?
Don't you think there is something wrong with people who are willing to use the death penalty on someone,who owns land,from selling it to an Israeli. This only points out the sheer ugliness of the palestinians and their hateful attitude..
When did idiocy ever stop people like Lydia from making comments?
You need to check your facts. Israelis do not steal land. They may WIN land in war, but they do not steal. On the contrary, they give land back..gaza, dome of the rock etc. Check your facts honey.
Recognised borders as per UNSCR 242 does. Time their apologists woke up and complained them.
about their ever-dwindling homeland...
even without war...
ruth and esther ruth tells us "your people are my people" esther denies her people
242 calls for a peace settlement in which Israel withdraws from territories occupied in the 6 day war. The Russians and French had proposed that the resolution call for withdrawal from THE territories occupied in the recent war, but that was rejected in order to allow flexibility in the negotiations as to the location of the frontier in any peace agreement.
You better tell the World in general and the Arabs in particular that their demands are completed
You check your facts. Israel can't GIVE back land it stole from the Arabs and expect a reward
for good reason. UNSCR which has legal binding says clearly the borders are to be negotiated. should of opted for that instead of genocide/war and decades of terror Try history instead of revisionist sloganeering
Silly people.
I do think that death penalty is THE worst way to go about it when it comes to the Palestinians. However, to all the blind Israeli defenders, please dont come and claim that they are legal and that Israel is this angelic country that is generous and 'gives back' land. Thats just BS. I have seen with my own eyes the bulldozers that take over people's land gives it to a Jewish family. Nothing legal or compassionate about that. PERIOD. If it was the other way around, we all know what you'd be calling it.... your favourite exploitation word: Holo.....
Before you assert Israelis do not steal land you might want speak to non-Jews whose property was expropriated (fancy word for stolen) without payment under the Alien Property act.
You might also investigate the amount of land in East Jerusalem and the West Bank owned by Jews before 1948 that the Jordanian government expropriated during their illegal occupation of 1949 to 1967 under similar laws. If it was wrong for Israel, then it was wrong for Jordan, too--don't you agree? At least Israel offered compensation in court--Jordan just expelled Jews and expropriated the land as a spoil of war.