The Jewish National Fund will be able to buy land in the vicinity of Beisan while the Arab tenants on this land will be able to sell part of their holdings if they are unable to fully cultivate their holdings, according to a statement by the attorney-general of Palestine explaining the government’s attitude on the illegal land transfers in the Beisan area where a large tract was given the Arabs during the administration of Sir Herbert Samuel.
The sales of land in this area by Arab tenants to Arab landlords or the small parcels that have come into the possession of Jews are illegal. The government warns the tenants not to dispose of the land before the transfer price due the government is fully paid, and simultaneously the period for payment is changed from fifteen to twenty five years.
In some cases, however, the government is willing to waive the requirements and to allow the tenant to dispose of a part of his holding where the government is satisfied that the Arab cultivator is unable to fully cultivate his holding, provided he retains sufficient and for his maintenance and transfers part of the land to “persons approved by the government and who have as their object the intensive cultivation of the land”.
This notice which enables the former squatters to whom Sir Herbert Samuel gave the lands to extend the time for their payments also enables the bona fide purchaser, such as the Jewish National Fund, to acquire land in this area.
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