Battle for Jerusalem: Miami millionaire who funds the settlements;

Profile of Irving Moskowitz

The takeover of houses in Ras al-Amoud was funded by Dr Irving Moskowitz, an American multi-millionaire living in Miami. He once said he wants "to do everything I possibly can to help reclaim Jerusalem for the Jewish people".

He made his money from private hospitals and a bingo parlour in Long Beach, California. He usually acts through an organisation called Ateret Cohanim (Crown of Priests) dedicated to Judaizing the older parts of Jerusalem, where it has installed 600 settlers. Over the years, Dr Moskowitz has given them pounds 1.5m. He is closely allied to the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister.

Ateret Cohanim was accused of using semi-legal means in a government report four years ago. The settlers who moved into Ras al-Amoud yesterday claimed to belong to no organisation, but later admitted to a connection with Ateret Cohanim. Dr Moskowitz also owns land in Ras al-Amoud on which he wants to build a Jewish settlement of 132 houses.