East Jersualem (archives)
Photo: Reuters
The Palestinian Authority's Preventive Security Service, cooperating with the PA's general intelligence service, recently undertook intensive activities to prevent the sale of land by Palestinians to Jews in east Jersualem, Ynet discovered.
In recent months, the PA investigated several real estate agents suspected of selling land in the capital to Jews, even resulting in arrests of some of the agents. PA sources said that the sales in question involved a large-scale amount of lands and properties.
Among the arrested real estate agents are those holding an Israeli ID card and those holding Palestinian Authority papers. They were also transferred to the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after the investigation.
PA sources reported that, while in Abbas' office, a senior official of the 'Supervision Committee', the PA body responsible for investigation internal corruption, became involved and brought about the close of the investigation.
One source said that the official, whose actions led to the release of the arrested real estate agents, was motivated to close the cases following by pressure from Israel.