Israel Land Authority Deputy Director Accuses Minister of Improper Interference

Yehuda Eliyahu, the acting director of the Israel Land Authority, has accused Minister Haim Katz of improper interference in his duties. In a letter sent Wednesday, Eliyahu stated that the dispute between them centers on whether the director should manage the authority according to law and professional judgment, or follow the minister's directives.

Eliyahu detailed several instances of alleged interference. He cited the minister's involvement in the hiring of Sharon Cohen for a senior human resources position, noting that Cohen had won the tender four months prior but had not yet been officially hired, impacting the authority's functioning. Eliyahu claimed Katz was backing Cohen's "scandalous conduct" despite complaints about HR delays.

Furthermore, Eliyahu refused demands to dismiss senior officials without professional justification, stating the responsibility rests with him and he would not act against his professional judgment. He also criticized the requirement for the minister's office to approve all tenders for mid-level and above positions, calling it an overreach that subordinates professional HR processes to the minister's office, citing the halted tender for the Director of Policy Department as a prime example.

Eliyahu concluded that the core of their disagreement is his refusal to accept a situation where he holds responsibility for managing the authority while ministerial intervention prevents him from performing his duties effectively.