The Absentee Property Law is exploited by Israel in an effort to seize Palestinian land. In Jerusalem, the Absentee Property Law is used against citizens who have lost their Jerusalem residency. There are many ways Palestinian residents of Jerusalem lose their Jerusalem ID cards, including living outside Jerusalem for several years, living outside the boundaries of Jerusalem as defined by the Israeli mayor of the city and in some cases, the Apartheid Wall. Palestinians who fled Jerusalem during the Six Day war of 1967 have not regained the right to return as legal residents of their city. With the Absentee Property Law, Israel uses these situations as opportunities to seize Palestinian land, homes, and possessions.
Palestinian property taken through Absentee Property Law is then transferred to various settler organizations. Such is the case in Silwan. The Elad settlement in Silwan is one example of this process. The Elad settlement claimed the property of Abbasi house. This house is the largest in Wadi Helweh, Silwan. The home and surrounding property of Fatima Shehada was taken by the Israeli government and given to settler organizations to create the City of David Visitor’’s Center. The Samreen family also had their property stolen for the Visitor’s Center.  Vast areas in Silwan have been stolen and the redeveloped by the Elad Settlement organization using the Absentee Property Law.

City of David Visitor’s Center, which was established on the Qaraeen – Sumreen families’ land in  Wadi Hilweh – Silwan