Israeli 1970 Law: A Settlement Arm to Swallow East Jerusalem Neighborhoods and Displace Their Residents

Palestinian neighborhoods in occupied East Jerusalem face a growing existential threat due to an arsenal of old laws and documents used by settler groups to seize properties. The Judicial and Administrative Arrangements Law of 1970, known as 'Yemeni Jewish Property,' stands out as a key tool in this systematic process aimed at undermining the Palestinian presence in the Holy City.

The roots of this crisis date back to the late 19th century, when Jewish donors established what is known as the 'Benvenisti' endowment to purchase lands in the Silwan area to house Jews who came from Yemen. A residential nucleus known as the 'Yemeni Village' was formed at that time, but the British authorities evacuated its residents in 1938 due to security tensions, and the land has remained registered under the endowment's name ever since.

Following the occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, Palestinian families began to settle in neighborhoods such as Batn al-Hawa and Sheikh Jarrah, relying on official ownership contracts and purchase certificates from local owners or with permits from the Jordanian administration. The residents were unaware that these properties were located within the boundaries of lands historically registered under Jewish endowments, which made them vulnerable to complex legal persecutions later on.

The issuance of the 1970 law created a stark double standard in the occupation's judicial system, as it allowed Jews to claim properties they lost before 1948 in East Jerusalem. In contrast, the same law deprives Palestinians of any similar right to reclaim their properties and homes from which they were displaced in the western part of the city, thus entrenching a policy of racial discrimination.

The 'Ateret Cohanim' settler association is the actual driver of these lawsuits, especially after it obtained guardianship rights over the 'Benvenisti' endowment in 2001. Since then, the association has exploited historical documents to file hundreds of eviction cases against Palestinian families, claiming that their presence is illegal and that the rights belong to the settlers.

The period between late 2025 and early 2026 witnessed a dangerous turning point, as the Israeli Supreme Court rejected appeals filed by Palestinian families against their eviction decisions. This judicial rejection gave the green light to settlers to carry out widespread forced seizures, supported by police forces that secure the evictions.

In addition to the judicial path, settler associations follow convoluted methods to strengthen their control, including using shell companies and intermediaries to register properties indirectly. These entities also exert financial and psychological pressure on families by offering tempting offers to leave or burdening them with court expenses and repeated legal letters.

These systematic measures have transformed the law from a regulatory framework into a political and demographic tool aimed primarily at expanding settlements in the heart of Arab neighborhoods. Instead of providing protection to residents who have lived in their homes for decades, the judicial system has become a platform to justify forced displacement and change the historical character of Jerusalem.

Ultimately, the 1970 law represents the cornerstone of the strategy to change the demographic reality of East Jerusalem by exploiting old endowment properties. Entire neighborhoods are currently being reshaped in favor of settlers, in clear violation of all international conventions that prohibit the occupying power from changing the features of the occupied land or displacing its residents.

The law has transformed from a tool for reclaiming alleged historical ownership into a political platform aimed at changing Jerusalem's demographic identity.