[Elder of Ziyon] A cascade of non-trivial trivia from 1912-13

The virulently anti-Israel IMEMC says:

Israeli soldiers and policemen displaced resident Khaled An-Natsha and his family from their home in Al-Ashqariyya area, in Beit Hanina, north of Israeli controlled East Jerusalem. The eviction came following a court order that granted Israeli settlers ownership over the property.

The Palestinian News and Info Agency, WAFA, reported that the soldiers also detained An-Natsha after "arguing with the soldiers".

The Israeli District Court in Jerusalem previously issued an eviction notice ordering An-Natsha to vacate the property, claiming that the land on which his home is built belonged to a Jewish man since 1936.

I was wondering if perhaps there were Jews in Beit Hanina who were forced to flee their homes in the 1936 riots, the way that the Yemeni Jews were chased out of their homes in Kfar HaShiloach (now knowsn as Silwan.)

Doing a little digging I came upon this illuminating item, from the American Jewish Yearbook for 1912-1913, under events that occurred in Palestine in October 1912:

Dilov and Bet-Hanina, in vicinity of Jerusalem, acquired by Zionist organization.

I never heard of Dilov, and the entry does not elaborate if (as implied) the Zionist bought all of Beit Hanina or a portion, but isn't that interesting?

In the same yearbook we also see other information that goes against the conventional wisdom of today's revisionist historians:

August [1912] At Rapha [Rafah - EoZ], Anglo-Egyptian authorities sanction sale of ten thousand dunams of land to Anglo-Palestine Company, for colonization by Agudath Yisroel (of Jaffa), and group of Bielistock Jews.

January [1913] - Turkish government confirms purchase of land in Samaria and Galilee by Palestine Department of the Zionist Organization. Amount paid, 750,000 francs ($150,000)

JUNE [1913] - Rechid Bey, former Minister of Interior and Governor at Jerusalem, in interview with representative of Budapest paper expresses himself in favor of Jewish activity in Palestine.

June [1913] — Hazim Bey, vali of Beirut, declares that he is in favor of Jewish immigration into Syria, as beneficial to the Empire.

Who knew that parts of Rafah were owned by Zionists and earmarked for religious Jews? How often do we hear about Arabs who actively supported Jewish immigration?

The things you learn when you just take the time to look...

(h/t Dan)

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Posted By Elder of Ziyon to Elder of Ziyon at 4/18/2012 05:35:00 PM