Senior PA (Palestinian Authority) official Elias Znariri, who is the deputy chair of the PA Liaison Committee with Israel, turned to Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked at a Globes-sponsored 2016 Business Conference to complain over �stolen land�, referring to Amona. He stated Israel�s High Court decided back in 1997 it is not legal and the expropriation of land was not legal. �Twenty years later and nothing has changed. If in a country like Israel, which continues to state it respects law and order, but its government agencies are not insisting on returning the land [to its owners], then what can I as a mere Palestinian do?�

Shaked responded �I have two things to tell you. The Government of Israel respects the court�s ruling and two, as a Palestinian, you can persuade your authority to wipe a number of laws off it books and to remove the racist law prohibiting land sales to Jews, a law that carries the death penalty�.

He comments were met with shouts from the audience, but Shaked continues, stating �It is very difficult. This law is racist. It is a disgrace to the PA�s legal system. If not for this law land disputes could be resolved monetarily and I am telling you from a place of knowledge, may land owners wish to send land in such cases�. She added the land owners realize they would make a handsome profit in such deals but the law and its death penalty have them too scared into moving ahead with such a deal.

(YWN � Israel Desk, Jerusalem)