Jerusalem ( CNN ) -- Israeli security officials on Tuesday started the process of evacuating some 150 Jewish residents from their homes at the West Bank settlement of Beit El . The Israeli government vowed to evacuate the Ulpana neighborhood by July 1 after the Israeli Supreme Court ruled last year that the settlers ' houses were built on privately owned Palestinian land . Fifteen of the neighborhood 's 30 families were moved to a nearby temporary neighborhood . The evacuation process is due to be completed by the end of this week , the Israeli Defense Ministry said . The decision to go ahead with the move was initially met with fierce resistance from the settler movement . Earlier this month a West Bank mosque was vandalized and partially set on fire . Graffiti sprayed outside the walls of the mosque read `` Ulpana War '' and `` Price Tag . '' `` Price tag '' is a term frequently used by radical Israeli settlers to denote reprisal attacks against Palestinians in response to moves by the Israeli government to evacuate illegal West Bank outposts , or as retribution for attacks by Palestinians . Three weeks ago , residents of the settlement set off on a two-day march from the controversial neighborhood to the Israeli Knesset parliamentary building in Jerusalem and called for a bill which would bypass the court 's decision and legalize their homes . In an effort to satisfy the settlement residents , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a plan to build 300 new housing units in a separate area of Beit El . Following negotiations with the Israeli government , the residents eventually agreed to leave their homes without resistance . An additional 550 units are to be built in other settlements in the West Bank . Harbi Ibrahim Mustafa Hassan , the Palestinian owner of the land , told CNN he was extremely moved by the decision of the Israeli court : `` I felt very excited , just like finding a few million dollars on the street . The land for me was almost lost . My lawyers were very faithful and encouraged us to keep going . It took five years to get our land back . '' Hassan said he did feel sympathy for the settlers as well . `` As a human being I feel sorry for them , but they have done something wrong . You talk about democracy , right ? The right of ownership is a principle in democracy , the right of speech is a principle in democracy , and this is my land . '' Josh Hantman , a spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Defense , told CNN the deal with the settlers was reached through great effort and numerous coordinations with the leaders of the local community . `` We believe that preparation is paying off . It is a delicate , sensitive and complicated relocation process . However the courts have spoken and the Ministry of Defense is committed to upholding the rule of law . '' The highly contentious issue of Israeli construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem -- land the Palestinians seek for a future state -- is one of the main sticking points preventing the resumption of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians .
Israeli government says settlers will be gone by Sunday from an area in Beit El . Israel 's Supreme Court ruled last year their homes were built on privately owned Palestinian land . Settlers ' anger eased when Israel announced plans for new housing in another part of Beit El . The Palestinian who owns the land says he 's thrilled at the Israeli court 's decision .