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RAMALLAH: Israeli forces raided the offices of the Palestinian governor of Jerusalem on Sunday, authorities said, after reports of an investigation into a sale of land.
Israeli authorities confirmed the attack at Al-Ram, just across the Israeli separation wall from Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, but provided little detail.
It took place after Israel's detention of Palestinian governor Adnan Gheith on 20 October. He was released two days later.
The Palestinian Authority's Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, Adnan al-Husseini, said Israeli forces confiscated documents and equipment during the raid.
The same building houses his ministry and the governor's office, which he said were raided during the first Israeli action of this type.
Palestinian government spokesman Yusuf Mahmud said it was "a dangerous escalation of occupation and a flagrant violation of all laws and regulations. international agreements ".
Israeli national security agency Shin Bet said in a statement that a joint raid with the police and army had been on "an illegal activity of the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem".
He said that "various materials have been seized and that they will be examined by security forces." To the question of specifying which illegal activity, the Shin Bet declared that all the activities of the PA in Jerusalem were illegal.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the Six Day War of 1967, which it subsequently annexed, which has never been recognized by the international community.
It considers the entire city as its capital, while the Palestinians regard the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.
The Palestinian Authority has a Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and a Governor in Jerusalem, located in Al-Ram. The activities of the Palestinian Authority are prohibited in Jerusalem itself.
Israeli media reported that the investigation followed the arrest by the Palestinian Authority last month of a man accused of selling real estate in East Jerusalem to a Jewish buyer.
These sales are highly controversial among Palestinians concerned about Israeli settlers buying property in East Jerusalem.
But among the Israelis, calls have been made for the authorities to release the man arrested by the PA during the sale.
Neither the Palestinian Authority nor the Israeli authorities have commented on the alleged arrest of the seller of property, which was published by the Israeli newspaper. Haaretz would have been a Palestinian of American nationality.
Posted in Dawn, November 5, 2018
