A Palestinian family's home in the West Bank has been listed on Booking.com, one of 41 rentals in illegal Israeli settlements. The property, described as 'ideal for outdoor gatherings', was seized from Mohammad al-Sbeih's family, who had farmed the land for generations.
Mr al-Sbeih, who now lives in a refugee camp, said the sale of his family's home was 'like stealing'. The family had been forced to leave the land in 2017, after Israeli authorities seized it under a law that allows the state to confiscate property for 'state purposes'.
The listings on Booking.com have sparked outrage among human rights groups, who claim that the sale of seized property is a form of theft. The Israeli government has not commented on the matter.
Booking.com has removed some listings, but others remain on the website. The company has said that it will review its policies on listings in disputed territories.
The issue has highlighted the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the impact on ordinary people. The UK government has been vocal in its criticism of Israeli settlement expansion, with the Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, stating that 'settlements are a barrier to peace and a breach of international law'.
The Labour Party has also condemned the sale of seized property, with Shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, saying that 'it's unacceptable that Palestinian families are being forced to live in poverty while their homes are being sold off to settlers'.