The Israel Land Authority Council has suspended the eviction of 500 residents in the south Tel Aviv neighborhood of Kfar Shalem, whom the state considers as squatters. The Land Authority allowed Halamish - Government Municipal Company for Renovating Apartments in Tel Aviv-Jaffa Ltd. to freeze the eviction notices, two weeks after the company under its new chairwoman Adv. Rachel Turgeman, decided to halt legal action against the residents.
Land Authority chairman Bentzi Lieberman told "Globes" that he wants to solve the problem, which he called "an open wound for the residents". He added that he would review options to help the residents.
Legal proceedings against the Kfar Shalem residents have been suspended for three months. At the same time, the Supreme Court issued an injunction halting the eviction orders for the same period.
Halamish and the Ministry of Housing and Construction have building rights to build almost 2,000 apartments in Kfar Shalom, which currently has 700 homes. Hundreds of families agreed to leave the area in exchange for compensation by 1996, when Halamish initiated legal action against 500 residents.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 21, 2012
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