U.S. is planning to build embassy new embassy in Jerusalem. Palestinian families say the area is stolen land. – NBC News
Posted By admin on July 18, 2022
But the Khalidis claims to the land received a boost during their visit when Adalah, an Israeli-based Arab rights nongovernmental organization, published new information from Israeli state archives.
The photograph of a yellowed typed lease agreement Adalah posted on its website and dated, showed signatures of members of at least five Palestinian families Habib, Qleibo, El Khalidi, Razzaq and El-Khalili with the British government, which at the time controlled the area then known as Mandatory Palestine.
While NBC News was not able to confirm the authenticity of the agreement, the Khalidi family had already publicly spoken about its connection to the land for decades and no one has to date contested that part of the Adalah release.
In the aftermath of that find, Khalidi family members have renewed their calls on the U.S. government, including Biden, not to build the U.S. Embassy on the land confiscated in 1950, two years after the state of Israel was created.
There are over a dozen families that own it, said prominent U.S. academic Rashid Khalidi, a cousin of Khalidi, who is the Edward Said professor of modern Arab studies at Columbia University.
Its indecent for the United States to be building on illegally appropriated property of U.S. citizens, he said.
The embassy lot is among many Palestinian properties seized by the Jewish state under its absentee property laws after the 1948 Israeli-Arab War. Some 750,000 Palestinians were displaced or fled as a result of the war.
Israel has held Jerusalem to be its capital since its creation in the aftermath of the war that gave it sovereignty over the western part of the city. It annexed the eastern part of the city after it captured that territory from Jordan during the Six-Day war in 1967.
Most of the international community, however, has preferred to withhold recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital until such time as there is a two-state solution to the conflict, that would include a Palestinian capital in east Jerusalem and an Israeli one in the western part of the city. A portion of the international community has questioned Israels right to any part of Jerusalem, pending resolution of the conflict.
Then-President Donald Trump bucked international consensus in 2017 when he declared U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital and relocated the embassy from Tel Aviv in 2018 to an already existing American facility in Jerusalems Arnona neighborhood.
The Trump administration then sought to expand that facility in what could be a $700 million project that would also include the 7.5-acre lot off of Hebron Road in Jerusalem that had belonged to the Palestinian families before 1948.
It was previously the place where the British had their military headquarters called the Allenby Barracks, Rashid said.
According to publicly available records in Israel, the U.S. plan is undergoing the permitting process through the Israeli Interior Ministry.
In Washington, D.C. the Department of State, however, did not confirm its intention to place an embassy-related compound on Hebron Road, explaining that it was now engaged in a process that will culminate in [the] construction of a new embassy in Jerusalem.
The site of that new embassy has not yet been confirmed. The process to confirm the site will involve coordination with Jerusalem and Israeli national authorities, as well as design and construction, a State Department spokesperson said.
Given that we are still involved in that process, at this point, we have no more details to share, the spokesperson added.
While the State Department did not directly address the property claims by the Palestinian families, it said it conducts thorough due diligence as part of our standard operating procure on all prospective sites for the U.S. facilities.
But Khalidi and Rashid said that Palestinian claims to the land were well-known for decades, including by the U.S.
Hasan pointed to a study by Walid Khalidi, his uncle, published in the Journal of Palestine Studies in 2000 that spoke of a U.S. lease to the site dating back to 1989. It included efforts by the administration of then-President Bill Clinton to promote that plot, particularly after the passage of Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, which mandated that the United States move its embassy to Jerusalem, a step that was delayed through presidential waivers every six months until Trumps time.
The Palestinian families even sent a letter decades ago to then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright detailing their claim.
Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum said that the Palestinian claim was an old one dismissed years ago by the U.S.
In the last 150 years, Jerusalem has been under the Ottoman rule, a British mandate, a partial Jordanian rule and Israeli sovereignty, she said.
These claims are based on denying the validity of Israeli law. The American governments relationship with Israel is based on the acknowledgment of the validity of our legal system, Hassan-Nahoum added. We are not concerned that something planned as a publicity stunt around Bidens visit will derail our special relationship.
While Israeli and American officials view the issue as concluded, for Palestinian families the story is not over.
Adalah said it was weighing possible legal options.
While Khalidi would really like the family to get the land back, or at least for the U.S. government to lease it from them, he acknowledges that is unlikely.
We cannot do much, he said. But, at the very least, we are here showing our opposition to this project and documenting our refusal.
Khalidi added: At least you are hearing our voice and hopefully, someone will listen. Most likely no one.
Read this article:
- Toilets, the Ponds, Streatery, Nazanin and Palestine | Hampstead Highgate Express - Hampstead Highgate Express [Last Updated On: May 8th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 8th, 2021]
- Bella Hadid marches for Palestine: From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free - The News International [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- The risk of another Israel-Palestine war - The New Humanitarian [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- Lebanese in war of words over Palestine action - Arab News [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- Its different this time: Palestinian Americans find support in US progressives - The Guardian [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- A Nightmare of Terror Across the Landscape of Palestine - The Nation [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- The Observer view on the Israel-Palestine conflict - The Guardian [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- Sorry You're Offended, But 'Palestine' Does Not Exist [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- What are Israel and Palestine? Why are they fighting? - Vox [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- Protesters supporting Israel, Palestinians clash in New York ... [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- Palestine - History, Religion & Conflicts - HISTORY [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- Palestine | History, People, & Religion | Britannica [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2021]
- Israeli attacks on Palestine crushed the joy of Eid in Bangladesh - TRT World [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2021]
- Rally in support of Palestine held in Westlake - WKYC.com [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2021]
- Kyrie Irving turns attention to Israel-Palestine: Basketball 'not the most important thing to me right now' - Yahoo Sports [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2021]
- Venmo is blocking some payments mentioning Palestinian relief funds. The company says it's following the law. - Business Insider [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2021]
- As violence spikes between Israel and Palestine, Grand Rapids group gathers in protest - MLive.com [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2021]
- The dignity of Palestinians will resurrect the Arab Spring - Al Jazeera English [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2021]
- I Will Not Be Silenced Because I Demand Justice for Palestine - The Nation [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- When it comes to media reporting on Israel-Palestine, there is nowhere to hide - The Conversation AU [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Senators ask world to take notice of atrocities in Palestine - DAWN.com [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Assassination of Israeli PM that scuttled peace deal with Palestine - India Today [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- UAE offers to play role in Israel-Palestine peace talks - The Guardian [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Womans story of Palestine song is a viral hit on social media - The Indian Express [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- What do Black Lives Matter and Palestine solidarity have in common? - Open Democracy [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Timeline of conflict: Why the 2021 Israeli-Palestinian fighting is among the most brutal in years - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Palestine, the second battle is imminent - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- What Trevor Noah gets wrong about Palestine - Al Jazeera English [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Fact check: Google Maps does not label Palestine [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- IsraeliPalestinian conflict - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Opinion | When Palestine Shook - The New York Times [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Mapping Israeli occupation | Gaza News | Al Jazeera [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Pro-Palestine, pro-Israel protesters clash in Times Square [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Palestine (region) - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: May 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 25th, 2021]
- Few in the food world want to touch the Palestine issue. Here's why one SF bar is speaking up - San Francisco Chronicle [Last Updated On: May 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 27th, 2021]
- America's attitude to Palestine and Israel has subtly shifted - The National [Last Updated On: May 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 27th, 2021]
- More Than 500 of the Staffers Who Got Biden Elected Demand That He Defend Palestinian Rights - The Nation [Last Updated On: May 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 27th, 2021]
- Hundreds Sprint Through Orland Park In Solidarity With Palestine - Patch.com [Last Updated On: May 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 27th, 2021]
- Anger over British teachers response to pro-Palestine protests - The Guardian [Last Updated On: May 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 27th, 2021]
- Hundreds of Amazon employees call for Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy to support Palestine - The Verge [Last Updated On: May 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 27th, 2021]
- UN Child Rights Committee urges Israel and Palestine and the entire international Community to bring immediate support to the children in Gaza and... [Last Updated On: May 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: May 27th, 2021]
- Senior figures attack obstruction of ICCs Palestine investigation - The Guardian [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2021]
- Palestine and the UNs responsibility to protect doctrine - Al Jazeera English [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2021]
- Edward Said Saw the Future of Israel and Palestine - Foreign Policy [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2021]
- On Israel-Palestine, resist the temptation to mediate - Hindustan Times [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2021]
- The Viewing Booth review seeing is believing in the Israel-Palestine conflict - The Guardian [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2021]
- Opening a window of hope in Gaza - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2021]
- Violence Against or Obstruction of Health Care in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) in 2020 - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2021]
- Labour could lose a by-election over the issue of Palestine - The Economist [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2021]
- Five-star Palestine come from behind to beat Comoros - FIFA.com [Last Updated On: June 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: June 25th, 2021]
- Palestine runs dry: Our water they steal and sell to us - Al Jazeera English [Last Updated On: July 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: July 18th, 2021]
- The Milli Gazette [Last Updated On: July 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: July 18th, 2021]
- The Hindu [Last Updated On: July 18th, 2021] [Originally Added On: July 18th, 2021]
- School in sight: We've got you covered on important details - Palestine Herald Press [Last Updated On: August 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 5th, 2021]
- Passage through Palestine in eyes of my grandfather - Business Daily [Last Updated On: August 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 5th, 2021]
- Palestinian dispossession is nothing new, but the world wasn't always watching - Open Democracy [Last Updated On: August 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 5th, 2021]
- LETTER: Great experience with city of Palestine | Letters To The Editor | palestineherald.com - Palestine Herald Press [Last Updated On: August 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 5th, 2021]
- Situation in IIOJK, Palestine is huge injustice of history: PM - Radio Pakistan [Last Updated On: August 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 5th, 2021]
- USAID to resume work in occupied Palestinian territories - Middle East Monitor [Last Updated On: August 5th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 5th, 2021]
- US footsteps in Afghan and the lessons for Palestine - Middle East Monitor [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2021]
- Palestine Rodeo set to make its return in 2021 - WTHITV.com [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2021]
- Israel-Palestine crisis: Modis government tries to read the page which cannot be written - Modern Diplomacy [Last Updated On: August 25th, 2021] [Originally Added On: August 25th, 2021]
- Palestine on the Pier brings free day of cultural entertainment to Hastings this weekend - Hastings Observer [Last Updated On: September 4th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 4th, 2021]
- A case of the Palestinian blues - +972 Magazine [Last Updated On: September 4th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 4th, 2021]
- Israel's Colonisation of Palestine and the Pursuit of International Justice - The Wire [Last Updated On: September 4th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 4th, 2021]
- Russia ready to host another unification meeting of Palestine's leading forces - TASS [Last Updated On: September 4th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 4th, 2021]
- Israeli And Palestinian Women: The Only Way Forward Is Together - Forbes [Last Updated On: September 4th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 4th, 2021]
- Israel-Palestine: Waste no opportunity for 'serious' political negotiation, envoy urges - UN News [Last Updated On: September 4th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 4th, 2021]
- Why I'm supporting Palestinian olive farmers this Sukkot - Mondoweiss [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2021]
- Mohammed is Palestinian. Why does 23andMe think he's Egyptian? - Wired.co.uk [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2021]
- "Maldivians will continue to fight for full recognition of Palestine as an independent State" - Raajjemv [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2021]
- Palestine rallies to support police officer with COVID-19 - Palestine Herald Press [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2021]
- Cyclists to converge on Palestine | Community | palestineherald.com - Palestine Herald Press [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2021]
- Shock and pride: Palestinians react to re-arrest of heroes - Al Jazeera English [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2021]
- Biden backs two-state solution for Israel, Palestine at UNGA | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2021]
- AFC Women's Asian Cup:AFC Women's Asian Cup India 2022 Qualifiers - Group H: Thailand beat Palestine to seal qualification in style - The Official... [Last Updated On: September 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 27th, 2021]
- Israel-Palestine and the Muslim world - The Nation [Last Updated On: September 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 27th, 2021]
- Indiana man hospitalized with COVID-19 urges others to get vaccinated - IndyStar [Last Updated On: September 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 27th, 2021]
- Palestine Action targets property company linked to Israeli weapons manufacturer - Morning Star Online [Last Updated On: September 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 27th, 2021]
- Palestine Solidarity Campaign - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: September 27th, 2021] [Originally Added On: September 27th, 2021]
Comments