Our firm, through Advs. Igal Doron and Dror Ben Avi, has filed a petition to the Supreme Court against the Minister of Transport and the NTA Company’s decision to execute expropriation of land partially owned by our firm’s client, the Shimshon Zelig Company, a limited contracting company.

In brief, the national infrastructures plan that was approved by the State, permits the minister to expropriate many plots of privately owned land in order to establish the light rail project in the Dan Region.

Alongside the plan, which was approved in 2022, additional plans are being promoted that apply to the said plots, that will enable the issuing of building permits.

Whereas, despite the fact that the planned works are expected to commence in several years time, and despite the Minister having herself stated that performance of works will commence in 8 years time only, in September 2023 the Minister of Transport published an announcement of the intention to expropriate the land and take possession thereof already at this time. 

The petition provides several reasons, inter alia, that the purpose of taking possession of the land at such an early stage is intended to reduce the indemnification the State will be obliged to pay the land owners (which is derived from the value of rights at the time of expropriation – inasmuch as if building rights are granted, in principle the compensation will be much higher), and will even cause that the land owners will not be able to take legal action against the building plans currently being promoted, and inasmuch as if the land owners have commenced such proceedings, the beneficiary thereof will be the State.  For reviewing: https://bit.ly/4bApFag