Jerusalem Court Orders Palestinian Authority to Pay Millions to Palestinian Detained Over Land Sale to Israeli

The Jerusalem District Court has ruled that the Palestinian Authority must pay approximately 3.34 million shekels to a Palestinian man who was detained and imprisoned for about five years after being accused of attempting to sell land to an Israeli. The ruling was issued by Judge Chaya Zandberg following a lawsuit filed by a resident of the village of Samu through attorney Barak Kedem.

In February 2014, the plaintiff was arrested by the Palestinian Authority’s Preventive Security Service after trying to sell family-owned land to a resident of the Jewish settlement Ma'ale Amos. Three months later, he was charged with attempting to transfer Palestinian land to the enemy. In 2016, he was convicted in a Hebron court and sentenced to five years in prison with hard labor and a fine. His appeal to the Ramallah Court of Appeals was rejected, and he remained imprisoned until February 2019.

The Jerusalem court found the detention and imprisonment unlawful, stating that Israeli courts cannot recognize the sale of land to Israelis as "treason" solely based on the buyers' Israeli identity. During the trial, the plaintiff detailed severe abuse he endured while in PA custody, including being shackled to a chair for hours, held in solitary confinement, beaten with sticks and objects while blindfolded, exposed to cold water in winter, and deprived of food, sleep, and basic conditions. The abuse reportedly continued in Dahariya prison, particularly in a cell known as "Sharon Cell," reserved for those suspected of cooperating with Israel or selling land to Jews.

Additional testimonies supported his claims of violence, including fellow inmates who witnessed beatings and solitary confinement. Medical documentation from December 2014 recorded scratches, finger injuries, and pain. The court concluded that the PA committed significant assault against the plaintiff.

Ultimately, the Palestinian Authority was ordered to pay 3,340,000 shekels in compensation, including attorney fees. According to Channel 14, the compensation will be transferred through the tax collection mechanism, similar to the system used for compensating victims of terror attacks.