A high-ranking Palestinian official says Emirati companies have been purchasing plots of Palestinian land in occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds and then transferring their ownership to Israelis.

Kamal Khatib, the deputy head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement, made the remarks in an interview with Qatar’s pan-Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera on Wednesday.

Those firms that buy the properties have offices in both the United Arab Emirates and the occupied territories.

The houses located around the al-Aqsa Mosque compound are now owned by Israeli settlers, who have been raiding the holy site, he said.

Earlier, some media outlets had reported on real-estate activities of UAE-owned companies in occupied al-Quds.

Palestinians believe the Israeli regime is on a systematic campaign to force them out of Jerusalem al-Quds.

Israel has been occupying the West Bank, including East al-Quds, since 1967. Ever since, it has been building settlements throughout the land, in a move condemned by the UN and considered illegal under international law.

The Palestinians, however, view al-Quds’ eastern sector as the capital of their future sovereign state.

About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.