Lebanese territories seized by Israel since 1938
Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 2/24/2000

A Lebanese citizen has submitted to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry documents which prove his ownership since before the 1940s of lands of an area of 3,000 square kilometers that is at the present situated near the international borders between Israel and Lebanon.

This was in the course of Lebanon's efforts to call on Israel to compensate its citizens for their properties in Palestine.

Farouk Hamadeh (54) stated that he had given the Lebanese Foreign Ministry 45 ownership documents in the name of his father, Fuad Hamadeh Afandi, and tax-receipts for this real estate between the years 1936 and 1938, bearing the name Akka real estate department. The Lebanese citizen also filed a complaint against the Israeli government asking for the restoration of his lands.

These documents indicate that that lands of a total area of 3,000 square meters is situated in the villages of Jardi, close to the Lebanese- Israeli borders, and Admat village to the west of Naharia settlement. Farouk Hamadi continued, "I and my brother Adnan (52) are the only inheritors for our father in owning these lands."

He continued, "My father used to have an old box. And since we were very small children my father asked us to keep it because it contains important papers that we might need one day." He added, "When I heard the call made by the Lebanese state on ownership of such lands, I opened the box which was covered by a thick layer of dust. And there was the surprise, ownership receipts and documents in Arabic, Hebrew and Turkish languages."

Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss announced on February 12 that Lebanon asks if peace talks are resumed for compensation for properties and real-estate owned by the Lebanese people that were seized by Israel in 1948.

Al-Hoss called on all Lebanese who own real estate and land in Palestine and who have documents prove this ownership to submit it to the Lebanese Foreign Ministry.

Lebanese dailies estimate this compensation at more than US $8 billion.

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