On whether or not he can prove that less than ten years have elapsed between his return to Palestine after the War and the filing of the land claim in November, 1928, hinges Joshua Hankin’s claim to 6,000 dunams of land he purchased on behalf of the Palestine Land Development Company before the War. The question is now before the local courts.
The Arab who sold the land to Hankin, who is an official of the Palestine Land Development Company, is pleading that the purchaser cannot claim title to the land, which is in the vicinity of Nablus, because the period for prescription or taking up the land has lapsed. Hankin counters by saying that the World War made it impossible for him to register his claim.
The court which is composed of one Briton and two Arabs, has decided that Hankin must present proof that less than a decade has passed between his return to Palestine and the filing of his claim in November 1928. It is interesting to note that while the British judge holds that ten years from the time of Hankin’s return to the time the claim was filed is sufficient time for prescription, the Arab judges feel that fifteen years would be better.
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