ILA cancels tender for leasing Karmiel land to Jews only

The Israel Lands Authority has canceled a tender for leasing 26 lots in Karmiel's Givat Hamachosh neighborhood to Jews only.

The move was in response to a petition submitted to the Haifa District Court, which claimed that the tender adversely affected the country's Arab citizens.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and the Arab Center for Alternative Planning filed the petition in September against the ILA, the Jewish National Fund, and the Karmiel Municipality.

The petition said the ILA was preventing the country's Arab citizens from taking part in tenders for leasing land in Givat Hamachosh. The petitioners stated that the JNF, which holds the land, said it forbids leasing land to Arabs under an agreement with the state.

In response to the petition, Judge Shmuel Berliner determined that the ILA could consider freezing the tender pending a ruling on the matter, or accept the petitioners' demand, and let all citizens take part in the tender. The judge ordered the ILA to publish a statement if and when a decision is made to carry on with the tender.

In court last week, JNF and ILA representatives announced that they had decided to cancel the tender, and that there was no need to discuss the petition.

"They should at least explain to the court the cancellation of the tender, and the reasons for the cancellation," said ACRI attorney Auni Bana.

The Arab Center for Alternative Planning is considering appealing to the Supreme Court.

Following the announcement of the cancellation of the tender, Berliner ordered the ILA and JNF to pay NIS 3,000 to each of the petitioners, in addition to half of the court costs.