Squat thrust

land to a non-Jewish entity. This land is vested in the Jewish people. Article 80 protects Article 6 of the mandate, which authorizes Jewish people to establish settlements thereon.

If the Canadian foreign minister is going to cite international law, he should be citing Article 80 of the United Nations Charter.

RICHARD SHERMAN Margate, Florida

Regarding “Sensing victory, Jerusalem ‘shabab’ turn Sheikh Jarrah dispute into major crisis” (May 9), over 4,000 Arabs have bought homes in Jewish Jerusalem suburbs such as Ramot Eshkol, Armon HaNetziv and French Hill and no one cares, but if a Jew moves into a predominantly Arab neighborhood, then left-wing radicals are roused to action.

Property ownership is based on title. The Arab neighborhood of Silwan, was originally Kfar HaShiloah or Shiloach, a Jewish Yemenite village founded in 1882, long before any Arabs lived there. It housed 150 families until Arab riots wiped most of them out in the 1920s and 30s. In 1938, British police, who did nothing to protect the Jews, forced out the remaining Jesish families and Arabs moved in.

In both Shiloach and the Shimon Hatzadik neighborhood, now called Sheikh Jarrah, Jewish title is clear.

Today Jewish life is growing in Jerusalem’s Old City, the City of David, the Mount of Olives, Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah.

Conversely, under PA law, it is a capital offense to sell land to Jews, few would deny Jews the right to live in peace among their Christian and Muslim neighbors in any part of Jerusalem.

No international laws have been violated – except by the Arabs who have been illegally squatting on Jewish property and the PA, which punishes Arabs who dare sell to Jews.

LEN BENNETT Ottawa, On.