Beit HaShalom

The building is named after Palestinian businessman Faez Rajabi who, together with Abdelkader Salwar, originally purchased the land and hired Hebron resident Majdi Al-Ja'abari[6][unreliable source] to construct the four-story structure.

After the intervention of many human rights organisations, and local and international media,[6][unreliable source] the authorities[clarification needed] eventually allowed Al-Ja'abari to proceed with the construction in 2007.

Hebron Jewish Community's spokesperson Noam Arnon said the entry into the house was not meant for provocation but for peaceful residence by Jews.

[10] About the importance of the building, spokesmen stressed: "The house of peace, on the main road between Hebron and Kiryat Arba is an additional link in the growth of the City of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs.

It advised Defense Minister Amir Peretz to order an immediate evacuation of the house, based on the argument that the settlers did not receive the necessary permits from the Civil Administration.

[16] The Ministry of Defense prohibited the occupants from making improvements to the building to render it habitable for winter - upholding a court order that forbade any change in the status quo of the house.

[18] The settlers' lawyer Attorney Nadav Ha'etzni, representing the claimed purchasers "Tal Construction and Investment of Karnei Shomron" and the "Society for the Renewal of the Jewish Community in Hebron", petitioned the High Court against the order.

In January 2008, the state defended its decision to recognize the settlers as "recent trespassers", and to evict them as quickly as possible because there was insufficient evidence to prove that the sale of the building had been completed.

[18] In November 2008, the High Court ordered the vacation of the building and named the State temporary custodian of the property, pending a ruling on the proprietary rights.

[19] Ehud Olmert declared that he did not want to execute the Court's order, but merely stop the repeated settler attacks on Palestinian civilians and property.

[20] After the Court had ruled in favour of the government's decision to evacuate the site, the settlers built barricades, and prepared to resist efforts to have them evicted.

"[22] Ma'an News Agency reported that, in the days prior to the evacuation, settlers repeatedly attacked Palestinian homes in the city and fired at them at random.

[27] The press reported that settlers attacked the villages of Burin and Huwara, south of Nablus, damaging homes, burning trees, agricultural fields and cars late on 4 December.

[citation needed] Rabbis for Human Rights reported that most northern West Bank roads were blocked by settlers, and widespread fires were visible in the Nablus region.

[4] On 3 July 2007, the Israeli State declared before the High Court that the police forensics department had found that the documents which supported the settlers' claim of legal ownership had been forgeries - or provided serious doubt regarding their authenticity.

[5] The state recognized the settlers as "recent trespassers", and said that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the sale of the building to the Israeli purchasers had been completed.

[8] Ayub Jaber, who worked on behalf of the Israeli group,[7] signed the sale agreement with the Jordanian front company "Tal Building and Investments Karnei Shomron".

However, the judge stressed that he was not ordering the Civil Administration to pursue legal measures that would give the settlers authorization to live in the house.

[31] Nachi Eyal, Director of the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, commented that "The Minister of Defense and representatives of the State Prosecutor need to apologize and compensate the owners in Hebron".

[32] The court found that the original vendors had turned a blind eye to the fact that the buyer was a strawman working for an Israeli group.

[34][36] In response to Ya'alon's approval, United Nations Special Rapporteur Richard Falk urged Israel to prevent settlers from taking over the Al-Rajabi House.

[33] Meretz MK Zehava Gal-On noted that severe restrictions on the movements of Palestinians who live on the road already existed, and stated that the new settlement would only worsen their situation,[37] a prospect envisaged by other observers.

[40] According to Richard Falk, the Beit HaShalom settlement is considered illegal under international law and violates article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.