Jewish National Fund Challenges Israeli Law Allowing Permanent Farms in Open Areas

The Jewish National Fund (JNF), known as KKL, has voiced strong opposition to an Israeli law that permits the establishment of permanent residences and individual farms within grazing areas. The organization announced its support for a petition filed with the Supreme Court seeking to repeal the legislation, warning that the conversion of grazing lands into permanent settlements could inflict extensive damage on forests, open spaces, and natural landscapes.

The "Law for the Regulation of Housing in Grazing Areas," passed by the Knesset in 2025, designates areas requiring proximity to livestock and allows for the creation of grazing centers that include housing for shepherds and their families. It also aims to regularize the status of previously illegal farms. The law streamlines planning and permitting processes for these sites, even those located within forests, national parks, and nature reserves.

KKL clarified that its objection is not to grazing itself, but to the shift from seasonal, mobile grazing to permanent farmsteads. While acknowledging that grazing can help manage vegetation, preserve biodiversity, and reduce fire risks, KKL argues that permanent settlements necessitate housing, roads, infrastructure, and services, leading to greater damage to open areas. The JNF stated that previous arrangements allowed for limited housing for herd protectors, whereas the new law expands residential rights to include the shepherd's entire family, establishing a permanent presence in the heart of open territories.

KKL's stance was presented in its submission to the Supreme Court, where it joined a petition by the Society for the Protection of Nature. The latter argues the law facilitates construction of buildings, roads, infrastructure, and lighting in open areas while reducing planning and building requirements. The state, however, defended the law, asserting it balances livestock protection with open space preservation and planning principles, and that judicial intervention in legislation should be exceptional.

The dispute extends beyond environmental concerns, fueling political and local disagreements, particularly in the Negev and Galilee regions, over establishing settlements in open areas under the guise of agricultural use. A notable incident occurred in Majd al-Krum in September, where temporary structures were erected on JNF land, leading to protests and accusations of creating a new settlement outpost. The lessees claimed the land was for grazing, not settlement.

Following protests, KKL dismantled the temporary structures but stipulated that their reuse would depend on the presence of a sheep flock. Subsequently, KKL imposed stricter conditions for grazing, limiting the activity's scope, reducing personnel, and prohibiting permanent residential conversion of grazing facilities. The Center for Regional Councils also opposed the law, citing concerns over planning procedures, the burden of providing services to new residents, and questioning the necessity of permanent housing for entire families when guard residences were already permitted.