LONDON: An Israeli rights group and Palestinian community organizations have asked a court to overturn approval for a Jewish religious school in occupied East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah, saying the project would be built on land expropriated for public facilities needed by Palestinians.
Israeli nonprofit Ir Amim, the Sheikh Jarrah Community Association and the Umm Lison Women’s Association filed the petition with the Jerusalem District Court, acting as the Court for Administrative Affairs, Ir Amim said in a statement on Tuesday.
The groups also requested an interim injunction to halt the project while the case is considered.
The planned institution, to be operated by Ohr Somayach, would include a Jewish religious school, or yeshiva, and a boarding school.
At the center of the challenge is land that petitioners say is privately owned by Palestinians and was seized by Israeli authorities on the grounds that it would be used for a public facility serving local residents.
