Following pressure from the Kerem Kayemet LeYisrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), on 25 August 209 Israeli forces demolished the Cassia family home and the source of their livelihood – a restaurant set up near the house.
The demolition can be viewed here.
The cruel destruction of Palestinian property in the Occupied West Bank followed pressure exerted by the KKL-JNF, through its subsidiary Himanuta, which demanded from the court that the house and restaurant be demolished. KKL-JNF claimed that it acquired the land in 1969, so it was within its right to demolish the building. It should be noted that the Cassia family owned the land and built it on it decades ago and never heard any credible claim or from anyone else that the land did not belong it it.
Peace Now: It should no longer be news that KKL-JNF is a significant contributor to the settlement agenda. Even if it really was the rightful owner of the land, it could still have entered into a dialogue with the Palestinian Cassia family and offered them a lease or other arrangement. The only interest in the demolition is the settler interest that seeks to expel Palestinians from areas of the West Bank and to replace them with settlers. It is difficult to believe that the thousands of Jews who donate to the JNF know that their money is devoted to such a nefarious cause.