With more than a dozen pages and 39 articles, the Absentees' Property Law is one of Israel's founding texts, granting the state the power to confiscate and impound Palestinian properties and assets that they were forced to leave behind in 1948.
The law, which applies only to Palestinians, is draconian and has remained a stable policy for numerous Israeli governments over the years, legal experts told Middle East Eye.
This week, Israel has used the law to justify the eviction of the Salhiya family and the demolition of their house in occupied East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.
The Absentees' Property Law puts Palestinians at a disadvantage from the start, branding them absentees even if they are present in the country or hold Israeli citizenship.
The law, which applies only to Palestinians, is draconian and has remained a stable policy for numerous Israeli governments over the years, legal experts told Middle East Eye.
This week, Israel has used the law to justify the eviction of the Salhiya family and the demolition of their house in occupied East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.
The Absentees' Property Law puts Palestinians at a disadvantage from the start, branding them absentees even if they are present in the country or hold Israeli citizenship.