The Ministry for Jerusalem Affairs functions as an official arm of the Palestinian Authority in Israel’s capital and operates with an annual budget of tens of millions of shekels.
One of the ministry’s primary activities is providing financial compensation to Arabs penalized for violating Israeli construction regulations in the eastern part of the city.
These payouts amount to approximately $15,000 per housing unit for individuals whose illegally built structures were demolished following Israeli court orders, according to the report by Regavim, an Israeli organization that monitors land and sovereignty issues.
In some instances, the P.A. funds the illegal construction from the outset, the report noted.
“The result is the quiet but consistent loss of Israeli governance, the erosion of Israeli sovereignty, and the entrenchment of de facto Palestinian Authority sovereignty,” he added.
According to official Palestinian Authority and United Nations data, at least NIS 35 million (approximately $10.5 million) has been distributed over the past five years through this compensation mechanism, excluding additional expenses for legal support, planning, and advocacy work.
“On top of the cash payouts, the P.A. provides legal counsel to cover all the fees for dragging appeals against demolition through the courts for years on end,” Naomi Kahn, director of the International Division at Regavim, told JNS.
A network of professionals, including lawyers, engineers, and architects, operates through P.A.-affiliated organizations, offering legal representation to illegal builders in courts and planning committees. These professionals work in full coordination with the P.A.’s Ministry for Jerusalem Affairs.
The Palestinian Authority is actively supported in its efforts by the International Red Cross and U.N. agencies, including the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
According to Kahn, the Red Cross visits demolition sites, assesses the damage, and assists illegal builders in completing the necessary paperwork to apply for compensation.
The U.N. provides the funding. “They choke the entire Israeli legal system with appeals, countersuits, and so on,” Kahn said.
“Instead of holding the Palestinian Authority accountable for its obligations under international law, the United Nations has been complicit in violating the law—not just in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, but also in Jerusalem,” Kahn added.
“The U.N. and the E.U. have been allowed for far too long to trample Israel’s rights, make a mockery of international law, use Arab residents of the region as pawns in their anti-Israel agenda, and fuel confrontation, conflict, and death,” she continued.
Kahn recommended that, as a first step, Israel deduct the amount the Palestinian Authority provides in “compensation” to illegal builders in Jerusalem from the taxes it collects on behalf of Ramallah.
