October 3, 2014


The Ir David Foundation, known as Elad, has published an announcement on social media networks in search of Jewish settlers to live in Palestinian homes that it has captured in the town of Silwan, occupied East Jerusalem, in return for a financial reward estimated at 500 shekels ($136) per day, Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Elad is known for its Judaisation projects of the city of Jerusalem. According to the association's advertisement, an amount of 500 shekels will be given to each settler who agrees to live in one of the homes that have been seized, with the settler only required to "keep his gun loaded and ready to fire at any time", according to the declaration.

Haaretz quoted one of the advertisements as follows: "We are looking for people who can stay in the apartments and watch them until families move into them. The work will probably take ten to 30 days (perhaps even more). The daily wage is 500 shekels gross. The workers will stay in the apartments and guard them until they are inhabited by families. Only suitable applicants will be accepted. Please pass this on to friends."

The following day, the newspaper reported that when asked about the details on what the job entails, an Elad official said: "You're not the security guard ... There are security guards and police when needed, and there's someone to supervise you and call to make sure everything is all right all the time. We don't need you as a security guard. As far as we're concerned, you live in the house, but it's better if you have a weapon."

The official also stressed that Elad would be the employer. "I think the payment would be by bank transfer," she said. "You come and fill out forms."

With the assistance of armed guards, the Foundation seized, overnight on Monday, ten individual buildings that include 23 apartments in the Wadi Hilweh neighbourhood of Silwan, located just south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, claiming that the settlers now own them.

Silwan has been witnessing continuous and tense confrontations with Israeli occupation forces ever since the seizure of the Palestinian homes, with Israeli police and armed forces present in the streets around the clock to protect the settlers.



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