Fair Representation for Arab Citizens on Municipal Merger Committees

A petition was filed in 5/03 on behalf of the National Committee of Arab Mayors and in Adalah's own name against the Minister of Interior, demanding fair representation for Arab citizens of Israel on regional hearing committees appointed to consider public responses to the government's proposed municipal merger legislation. Although 23 of 62 (37%) municipal mergers proposed by the government involve Arab municipalities, at the time of the filing of the petition, there was only one Arab member out of a total of 37 members on the committees. Adalah argued that the failure to provide fair representation for Arab citizens violates the principle of equality, and that the committees will not be able to give suitable consideration to issues which impact the unique needs and concerns of Arab towns and villages. In response to the petition, the state declared that it would add four more Arab members to the hearing committees dealing with the proposed mergers of Arab municipalities. In 5/03, Adalah informed the Court that although five Arab members are not a sufficient number to ensure fair representation, pursuant to these new developments, Adalah would withdraw the petition. The Court ordered state to pay NIS 7,500 in legal expenses.

(H.C. 4110/03, Adalah and the National Committee of Arab Mayors v. the Minister of Interior)