UAE involved in selling Palestinian lands in East Jerusalem

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken part in selling properties in East Jerusalem, the Palestinian website Al-Qastal reported on Thursday.

“The UAE is involved in selling three properties to settlers in Batn al-Hawa neighborhood in the Silwan area in East Jerusalem,” Al-Qastal quoted informed Palestinian sources. 

The sources said that “documents proving the involvement of the UAE and Palestinian figures in selling real estate in Silwan will be revealed later”.

At dawn on Thursday, groups of settlers reportedly managed to seize three buildings and a plot of land in Batn al-Hawa neighborhood, under the protection of the Israeli occupation police, after the site was handed to settler associations.

Meanwhile, families from the town of Silwan, just outside of occupied East Jerusalem, held a meeting on Thursday in which they stressed the necessity of boycotting “real estate looters” cooperating with settler associations.

The boycott includes refraining from attending their events and from inviting them to national or family events, and imposing a complete and comprehensive boycott against them and their families.

UAE hosts first Holocaust Remembrance Day

The UAE has hosted an official Holocaust Remembrance Day in conjunction with similar commemorations held in Israel, the first such event to be held in an Arab country.

Six Emirati activists lit candles symbolizing the six million victims of the Holocaust, while Israeli singer Loai Ali and rapper Ezzy performed a special edition of the song One Human Fabric.

Israel in the Gulf, a Twitter account affiliated with the Israeli foreign ministry, published a video clip showing a number of Emirati citizens lighting candles to commemorate the Holocaust, with the caption: “We stand together against extremism. We will not forget.”

Israel approves 540 settlement units in East Jerusalem

Meanwhile, Israel on Thursday approved the construction of hundreds of illegal settlement units in occupied East Jerusalem, a first since US President Joe Biden took office in January, Haaertz reported.

According to report, the proposed 540 housing units are to be built in the Palestinian neighborhoods of Beit Safafa and Sharafat, and create territorial continuity between the two major settlements of Har Homa and Givat Hamatos south of occupied East Jerusalem.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the Israeli decision, with Presidential Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh saying in a statement that this decision is “condemned and rejected.”

“It violates all United Nations resolutions that condemn settlements, especially Resolution 2334 which affirmed that all forms of settlements on Palestinian lands are illegal,” Abu Rudeineh said.