Beit HaShalom

Beit HaShalom, (Hebrew: בית השלום‎‎, lit. House of Peace) or the Rajabi House, also known as Beit HaMeriva ("House of Contention"), is a four story apartment building located in the of Hebron.

Originally built by two Palestinian businessmen, the building was subsequently purchased and inhabited by local Jewish settlers in 2007. In December 2008, the settlers were evacuated by the IDF by Israeli Supreme Court order: Palestinians alleged that the building had been purchased unlawfully with the help of a Palestinian frontman, and the use of forged documents, and the case was taken to court. In September 2012, the Jerusalem District Court ruled that the purchase was indeed valid, and that the house must be returned to the purchasers.

In March 2014, the Israeli Supreme Court upheld the ruling. The Israeli Defense Minister subsequently allowed the settlers to reinhabit the building.

The building is located in a strategic area at the eastern border of city of Hebron. It is situated along the road running north-south, connecting the settlements of Givat Ha'avot, and Kiryat Arba including Givat Harsina, with the Cave of the Patriarchs. The road is known as Othman bin Affan Street, Zion Route, and Worshipers Way. An Israeli checkpoint is nearby.

The building is named after Palestinian businessman Faez Rajabi who, together with Abdelkader Salwar, originally purchased the land and hired Hebron resident Majdi Al-Ja'abari to construct the four-story structure. The construction of the building in Hebron's a-Ras neighbourhood, on a 1,100-square-metre property with space for some 20 apartments, began in 1995. The Palestinian developers originally designed it for their own use as shops and apartments, but the construction was not fully finished. A number of young Palestinian families had paid down payments for their future apartments.

Construction was suspended in 2000, according to Al-Ja'abari due to pressure from the settlers and their mounting presence in the region. After the intervention of many human rights organisations, and local and international media, the authorities eventually allowed Al-Ja'abari to proceed with the construction in 2007.

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