Court rejects Beit Yehonatan appeal

Jerusalem court orders eviction, demolition to begin immediately

Jerusalem Post Staff - May 25, 2010

The Jerusalem District Court rejected the latest appeal against the slated sealing of Beit Yehonatan, a Jewish seven-story building constructed without a permit in the mostly Arab southeast Silwan neighborhood, Israel Radio reported on Tuesday.

Judge Nava Ben-Or ruled against the residents' appeal to delay the sealing order, stipulating that it should be carried out immediately.

The court order, which calls for Beit Yehonatan's residents to be evicted and the building to be sealed, has been delayed for over two years, due to internal squabbling within the municipality regarding the larger issues of building codes and their enforcement in east Jerusalem.

The building is named for Jonathan Pollard and was built in 2004 with funds from the Ateret Cohanim organization.