Opposition Councilman Accuses Haifa Municipality of Midnight Raid on School
An opposition councilman in Haifa has accused the municipality of conducting a "midnight raid" on the "Beit Yaakov" religious school, alleging brutal actions and disregard for a court order. The accusation comes via a petition filed by the Independent Education Network, represented by attorneys Yair Esael, Yossi Hassid, and Shelly Tal. The petition claims that on September 7, 2026, municipal agents entered the school building late at night, breaking furniture, removing mezuzahs, and clearing out students' belongings and textbooks. This allegedly occurred without a court order, just one day before approximately 360 students were due to return to classes.
The petition further states that a court ruling in February 2025 had stipulated that the school would not be evicted from the premises until a final decision on its allocation request was made. The municipality itself had reportedly confirmed on September 3, 2026, that the allocation review process was ongoing.
According to the petition, the nighttime operation was halted only after police were called to the scene. Councilman Miki Alpher presented the court order to the police officer in charge, leading to an order for municipal workers to cease their actions. Alpher has strongly condemned the municipality's conduct, labeling it a "criminal municipality" that operates like a "thief in the night" and disregards court rulings.
Alpher detailed a year-and-a-quarter delay in processing the school's allocation request, followed by recommendations for denial based on outdated information previously rejected by the court. He also noted the municipality's request for a month's extension on legal notices, during which the alleged raid took place. Alpher believes the municipality's subsequent request for a 1.5-month delay in an urgent court hearing demonstrates their inability to defend their actions legally. He has called on the Interior Ministry's district supervisor to intervene.
The Haifa Municipality has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them a "misleading and distorted presentation" of facts and the legal situation. They assert they acted lawfully and did not violate any orders. The municipality claims a significant change in circumstances occurred after the Ministry of Education canceled the license of another school in the complex, rendering the previous arrangement irrelevant. They state that "Beit Yaakov" was using an area without proper authorization or allocation, and their actions were legal. The municipality dismisses claims of acting against court orders or harming students as baseless and potentially defamatory, reserving its legal rights.
