Palestinian PM amends controversial regulation to exclude Jerusalemites
A controversial decision ordering Palestinian homeowners to seek approval of government agencies before renting to any person with an Israeli ID produced a big reaction from East Jerusalem residents, prompting the order to later be amended to exclude them.
Due to public pressure, the Palestinian government amended a controversial regulation dealing with East Jerusalem residents. The decision set out in an order by Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah Jan. 3 required Palestinians holding Israeli IDs from having to pass a security clearance before being allowed to rent property in the Palestinian areas. The amendment, which made an exception for East Jerusalem residents, has eased the tension. But many Palestinians are still angry at being treated in a discriminatory fashion.
A senior Palestinian government source who preferred not to be identified told Al-Monitor that the original Jan. 3 decision was taken due to a noticeable increase in the number of rented homes being used for illegal activities, including drug creation and sale. The source insisted that much of the drug business is done with Palestinian citizens of Israel. One of the most dangerous drug dealers who had nine warrants for his arrest was rounded up in Ramallah last September. It appears that the information gleaned from this criminal and others led to the decision regarding restricting rentals to holders of Israeli IDs.
