Settlers take over Palestinian home in Old City, change locks

Ma'an
Israeli settlers began an illegal squat in a Palestinian home in the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday morning, following a court order expelling the elderly Palestinian occupant and granting settlers partial access to the building.

Fatima Dahoody, 80, in whose name the home is registered, was staying at the house of her son in Beit Hanina when settlers entered her Old City residence and changed the locks. They are now refusing to leave, witnesses said.

A Magistrates court in Jerusalem ruled Dahoody out of the home on 25 January, and granted Israeli settlers access to part of the building in shifts, 8am-8pm for men and 8pm-8am for women.

The same court decision ordered the imprisonment of the elderly owner of the home if she tries to enter the building and a 20,000 shekel (5,350 US dollar) fine. She was also ordered to pay 9,000 shekels (2,400 US dollars) in legal fees for the settlers' attorney.

The woman's son said the family had owned the home since 1990, and that court action by the settler group began after they tried unsuccessfully to take over the home in November 2008. At that time police evicted the would-be squatters.

Dahoody noted several homes in the vicinity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque had also been targeted by settlers seeking to expel Palestinian families from their homes...  Full story