Palestinian Man Battles Ireland Over Settler Land Grab

High Court hears case against Garda Commissioner for declining probe.

An unnamed Palestinian man is taking legal action against Ireland’s Garda Commissioner after local authorities refused to investigate his complaint that Israeli settlers seized his West Bank land, constructing rental cabins marketed on an Irish website.

Legal Action Launched

The applicant, who fears threats from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), has been granted anonymity by the court. He is joined in the application by Sadaka, the Ireland Palestine Alliance Limited, targeting the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána over the Irish-registered website.

The suit alleges that the website facilitated crimes by allowing bookings on the property. The initial complaint, filed in August 2024, accused the website of being an accessory to transfer, appropriation, and money laundering.

The plaintiffs are seeking a High Court order to overturn a February 2025 decision by gardaí not to investigate the matter.

Documents submitted to the court by lawyers for the applicants state that cabins on the man’s land in the Occupied Territories were still being advertised for rent online as recently as May 2025.

**Gerry Liston**, a solicitor at KOD Lyons representing the applicants, stated in an affidavit dated May 8th, 2025, that he booked a stay at one of the cabins himself, retaining the booking confirmation as evidence.

Decades-Long Dispute

According to the applicants, the man was barred from accessing his land by the Israeli Defence Forces in the late 1990s, a situation that persists today. This inaccessibility allegedly led to neglect of the land, until 2004, when Israeli settlers began construction.

Construction accelerated in 2009 with the erection of two cabins advertised as rentals online, allegedly allowing “settlers profiting from the illegal construction on privately-owned Palestinian land” without the owner’s consent.

Gardaí Response

In November 2024, gardaí informed the applicants that an assessment concluded “there are no offences disclosed within this jurisdiction and therefore a criminal investigation is not warranted.”

Last February, gardaí reiterated that the matter was closed but that “the information, however, has been recorded for intelligence purposes by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau.”

The plaintiffs responded, arguing that the lack of evidence of a crime in Ireland was “not a sound basis upon which to decline to investigate,” suggesting gardaí had erred in law.

The allegations, it is argued, warrant investigation under Section 3 of the Geneva Convention, Section 7 of the International Criminal Court Act, and Ireland’s Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act. According to a 2024 report by Amnesty International, international law obligates states to hold their citizens and companies accountable for actions that may constitute war crimes committed abroad (Amnesty International).

High Court Adjournment

At the High Court this week, **James B Dwyer SC**, representing the plaintiffs, successfully applied to **Ms Justice Marguerite Bolger** for the man’s anonymity. **Ms Justice Bolger** granted the order and adjourned the matter until October.