The High Court of Justice has approved the establishment of Eshbal north of the Sakhnin valley. Judge Ayala Procaccia, Judge Asher Dan Grunis and Judge Esther Hayut dismissed a petition by Sakhnin Mayor Mustafa Abu-Ria.
The National Planning and Building Council approved changes in the northern district outline plan, which includes setting aside 336 dunam (84 acres) for Kibbutz Eshbal in the Misgav Regional Council area.
Eshbal was founded in the 1970s as a transit camp for youth movements. Residential infrastructure was built when it became an IDF Nahal community in the 1980s.
In December 1997, the government decided to strengthen Jewish communities north of the Sakhnin valley, around Carmiel, and hilltop communities in the Misgav Regional Council. As part of the decision, the Nahal community became a civilian settlement, planned as an educational kibbutz.
Sakhnin opposed the plan, claiming that the establishment of a Jewish community in the midst of Arab communities contravened national outline plan 35, and that the land was designated for the expansion of Sakhnin.
The Society for the Preservation of Nature in Israel claimed that no arguments were advanced to justify the establishment of Eshbal and that existing communities could absorb young couples.
The High Court of Justice ruled that the plan for establishing Eshbal conformed with the national outline plan, and consequently there was no need for an environmental impact study, in view of the planning procedures for the site.
The High Court of Justice also dismissed the claim that the establishment of Eshbal harmed Sakhnin, which had 1,200 dunam (300 acres) available for residences.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on July 25, 2004