Modi'in Illit
Photo: AP
Protest in Bil'in
Photo: Reuters
Bil'in residents to sue Canadian construction companies
Residents of West Bank village demand Canadian court order construction companies to halt building in Jewish settlement of Modi'in Illit. 'Companies part of occupation that seizes our lands and hands them over to the settlers,' Palestinian says
Residents of the Palestinian village of Bil'in are expected to file a lawsuit Thursday against Canadian building companies involved in the construction of a Jewish neighborhood in the West Bank settlement of Modiin Illit.
According to the claimants, the neighborhood is being built on Bili'n lands. The lawsuit states that the Canadian construction companies are in violation of Canadian law, which has adopted the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The statute determined that war crimes include a nation transferring its civilian population into territory that it has occupied as a result of war.
Bil'in has seen numerous clashes between villagers and IDF forces during protests against the construction of the West Bank security fence in the area.
According to Michael Sfard, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, the lawsuit wants $2 million in punitive damages, as well as an immediate order from the Canadian court that would halt construction.
Abdullah Abu Rahme, a member of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, told Ynet that the villagers filed the lawsuit in order to show that the Canadian companies "are part of the occupation that seizes our lands and hands them over to the settlers.
"The message is that we will act against all those attempting to confiscate our lands," he said.
