Israeli Occupation authorities issue a confiscation order against "Hilal Al-Quds" Club

 On the dawn of Thursday, 24 March 2022, an Israeli occupation Intelligence force, accompanied by Municipality representatives, broke into the headquarters of "Hilal Al Quds", a premier league club located in occupied east Jerusalem. The force was in the process of the break-in when some club board members arrived and demanded a reason for the violent attempt. The force handed the board members a "property confiscation order” stating that if the administration fails to pay a fine of about 10,000,000 NIS, all property of the club will be confiscated. The administration was informed that they have ten days before the club headquartered will be closed, permanently.

The occupation municipality said that the amount is an accumulated “Arnona” [land] tax the club has not been paying for 30-40 years! The board maintains that it is an absurd claim, since the club, a nonprofit “Sports institution”, has not been able for decades to get registration as such in the Israeli occupation municipal records, which could have entitled it to a 66% Arnona tax reduction.

Hilal Al-Quds, yet to celebrate its golden jubilee, was established back in 1972. It has been providing a cultural and sports refuge for decades to thousands of youth and children in occupied east Jerusalem. It also has a Scouts division that does a lot of voluntary work in service of the community. 

Israeli forces break into the club HQ:

Israeli Occupation Authorities issue the 4th Demolition order against the Sur Baher club

The new year did not start with joy and hope for the staff, fans, and community of the Sur Baher club, located in east Jerusalem. For, just before 2021 ended, on the 27th of December, The Israeli occupation authorities handed the club the 4th notification for that past year, informing them that their facilities will be demolished for lack of  "proper building license", which is the term used for almost every other demolition in the densely populated Palestinian town.

Two years ago, the Club administration had made the legal paperwork to have their 8 dunums (8000 Sq meters) of Waqf land registered with the Islamic Awqaf, in the hope this will put an end to the repeated Israeli attempts to seize the land. This registration allowed the club to renovate the facilities, and install artificial turf for their home pitch.

Their relief was short-lived, for the Israeli authorities, as documented in many other instances in Sur Baher and the surrounding areas, will almost always find an instrument to de-legalize any measures taken to enable Palestinian communities to retain their property.

The club, which was established as far back as 1978, serves a community of over 25,000 people, providing youth with a chance to play football while also providing social, health, and cultural services to the community. It has a scouts division and is run by a general assembly of 636 people who elect its board. Its football team reached the 1st division in 1996 and won 2nd place in the Palestine Cup back in 1999

The Israeli Municipal authorities have been trying for years to take over the premises of the club, in return for some projects run by the occupation as compensation, but the community has rejected these offers every time, preferring to keep their club, whose facilities lie now in real danger of being lost.