Developer sues settlers over violence against Palestinian homebuyers

For years, settlers are alleged to have terrorised prospective purchasers in a new West Bank neighbourhood. The Canadian-Palestinian owner has filed a $5-million lawsuit against six settlers and Israeli security authorities.

When real estate developer Khaled Al-Sabawi purchased land near the West Bank village of Turmus Ayya, he never could have imagined things would turn out like this.

He had a vision for a housing project catering to the Palestinian middle classes. “We saw a nice piece of land on a quiet hill in Area B,” he says, referring to the area officially under Palestinian civil control and Israeli military control. “Close to the town but not too close so that it will be affordable, beautiful view that people can enjoy and access to infrastructure."

Four years on, though, the project is completely frozen. The reason? Settlers in the area, who have worked relentlessly to thwart it.

Now, Al-Sabawi’s company, Union Construction and Investment, has filed a $US 5.2 ($A 8.1) million lawsuit in Tel Aviv District Court against six settlers it has identified as leaders of the campaign against the project – a rare lawsuit in the West Bank. Those named include Elisha Yered, who was spokesperson for Otzma Yehudit lawmaker Limor Son Har-Melech, and Meir Ettinger, a leader of “hilltop youth”.  Additional defendants include the Israel Police and Israel Defence Forces, who the company claims did not protect the site from settlers’ violent attacks.

Shortly after the firm began work on preparing the land, settlers started demonstrating there to prevent the project progressing. They insist on calling it a “new Arab city,” even though it’s actually part of Turmus Ayya. Right-wing media outlets have covered settler protests there, while extremist MK Itamar Ben-Gvir recorded himself visiting the site in December 2021.