Land (Acquisition for Public Purposes) Ordinance - Amendment No. 10
Land and Planning Rights
Active
2010
Allows Finance Minster to confiscate land for “public purposes”. The state has used this law extensively, in conjunction with other laws such as the Land Acquisition Law (1953) and the Absentees’ Property Law (1950), to confiscate Palestinian-owned land in Israel.
Amendment No. 10 confirms state ownership of land confiscated under this law, even where it has not been used to serve the original confiscation purpose. It allows the state not to use the confiscated land for the original confiscation purpose for 17 years, and prevents landowners from demanding the return of confiscated land not used for the original confiscation purpose if it has been transferred to a third party, or if more than 25 years have elapsed since the confiscation.
The amendment expands the Finance Minister’s authority to confiscate land for “public purposes,” which under the law includes the establishment and development of towns, and allows the Minister to declare new purposes. It was designed to prevent Arab citizens of Israel from submitting lawsuits to reclaim confiscated land. Over 25 years have passed since the confiscation of the vast majority of Palestinian land, and large tracts have been transferred to third parties, including the discriminatory Jewish National Fund.
Amendment No. 10 confirms state ownership of land confiscated under this law, even where it has not been used to serve the original confiscation purpose. It allows the state not to use the confiscated land for the original confiscation purpose for 17 years, and prevents landowners from demanding the return of confiscated land not used for the original confiscation purpose if it has been transferred to a third party, or if more than 25 years have elapsed since the confiscation.
The amendment expands the Finance Minister’s authority to confiscate land for “public purposes,” which under the law includes the establishment and development of towns, and allows the Minister to declare new purposes. It was designed to prevent Arab citizens of Israel from submitting lawsuits to reclaim confiscated land. Over 25 years have passed since the confiscation of the vast majority of Palestinian land, and large tracts have been transferred to third parties, including the discriminatory Jewish National Fund.
