JNF commits to removing private land from Kiryat Ata Forest plan
On 15 October 2007, the Northern District Planning and Building Committee issued its decision regarding objections filed by Adalah in August 2006 on behalf of 16 Arab farmers from around the Shafa'amr area against Local Master Plan G13449. The plan demarcates an area of land cultivated by Arab farmers to be confiscated, with the stated goal of creating a man-made forest in the area, referred to in the plan as the ‘Kiryat Ata Forest'. In the objection, Adalah argued that the plan causes harm to the lands located within its boundaries.
Following a hearing held on 4 September 2007, the planning and building committee decided to accept a commitment made by the Jewish National Fund (JNF) to remove from the plan all land that is under private ownership and not included in National Master Plan TAMA 22. Where private land was included in TAMA 22 as forested area, a detailed plan will be required to address property and the removal of private land not essential to the goal of constructing roads to the forest from the boundaries of the master plan and to re-designate them as agricultural land. In the case of land in dual ownership that is partly owned by the state, only if the state-owned portion has environmental or scenic value should it be included among the lands covered by the plan and declared as forested areas.
Adalah Attorney Suhad Bishara and Adalah Urban Planner Hana Hamdan filed the objection against Local Master Plan G13449, which covers 8,148 dunams of land. The plan was drafted by the JNF and aims to transfer large swathes of land in Wadi al-Malak and the adjacent area, referred to as ‘Kiryat Ata Forest,' to areas of “existing man-made forests” and areas of forest to be nurtured and protected. In the objection, Adalah argued that the land has been farmed for decades, since before the establishment of the state of Israel; the farms located in the area in question represent an indivisible and essential part of the natural landscape and are of tourist value, and therefore must not be damaged.
In addition, the plan contradicts the National Master Plan TAMA 22 because it exceeds the boundaries demarcated therein for forested areas, Adalah maintained. In the objection, Adalah further demanded that the committee conduct a thorough examination of the facts on the ground in the area and withdraw the plan.
