JNF Gives Away Land

Two weeks ago, I correctly reported hundreds of acres of lands in Jerusalem owned by the Jewish National Fund and purchased using Jewish donor funds for the stated purpose of Jewish settlement have been used for the illegal construction of dozens of Arab apartment buildings and a United Nations school for Arabs.

The JNF has seemingly done little to boot the UN and Arab squatters from its land, while the Israeli government, which manages the areas, did not halt the illegal Arab construction. The Jewish-owned lands recently were blocked off from Jewish sections of Jerusalem and isolated to Arab neighborhoods by Israel's security fence.

Mr. Robinson states above we can "rest assured" JNF doesn't give away land to Arabs. Certainly the JNF hasn't legally forfeited its right to the lands, so it is accurate, albeit misleading, to state it didn't technically give the land away. In practice, the JNF has done just that. The JNF's inaction during years of illegal construction on its properties has ensured the Jerusalem areas in question will likely remain Arab. There are now entire developed Arab communities and U.N. facilities for Arabs built upon the JNF-owned lands in Jerusalem purchased by Jews, for Jews.

Robinson discusses the security fence as if Israel arbitrarily blockaded the JNF-lands to Arab sections of Jerusalem. The fence was built in 2003 and 2004. I documented the illegal Arab construction occurred the past twenty years, long before the security fence was even a proposed idea. Some of the Arab building occurred the past five years, with at least one project still under construction. It was because the Arabs were not stopped from establishing de facto towns on JNF-owned land that the security fence route blocked off the Jewish-owned lands to Arab sections. I doubt the Israeli government's fence would have isolated the land had the JNF used the properties for its intended purpose -- Jewish settlement.

Robinson states the JNF is apolitical. Mr. Robinson, allowing Arabs to illegally construct communities on lands in Israel's eternal capital purchased with donor funds for the stated purpose of Jewish settlement is about the most political statement your organization can possibly make. The trend is not limited to Jerusalem. Arabs are reportedly building without permits on JNF-owned property in the Galilee and in areas outside Bethlehem.

Robinson then goes off into a distracting tangent outlining all the good JNF has done over the years. And it certainly has done plenty of good. But Mr. Robinson, I challenge you to actually address the issue at hand: Why have Arabs been allowed to illegally construct on JNF-owned property purchased with Jewish donors funds and what is the JNF doing about it?

Sincerely

Aaron Klein

Jerusalem Bureau Chief

WorldNetDaily.com