Israel Land Authority Acting Director Delays Event Over Women's Singing

Yehuda Eliyahu, the acting director general of the Israel Land Authority (ILA), has failed to uphold a commitment made to the State Employees' Union to hold a welfare event featuring a musical with women's singing. The union is threatening to petition the Labor Court if Eliyahu does not schedule the event, which showcases songs by Shlomi Shabat, by Thursday. The union also demands a clear timeline for an educational tour in Eilat, with similar reasons suspected for its delay.

Eliyahu reportedly canceled the musical due to his religious objections to women singing in public. He also allegedly delayed the Eilat trip for similar reasons. Eliyahu's tenure as acting director is set to expire on Thursday, and the legal advisor to the Ministry of Housing has stated he cannot continue in the role. However, it remains unclear if the government will adhere to this opinion or who will replace him.

The musical was initially selected by an ILA tender committee in early August. Eliyahu ordered its cancellation on August 17, citing the presence of female performers. Ofir Alkalai, chairman of the State Employees' Union, has been leading efforts to prevent gender discrimination and ensure equal rights.

Following an initial petition to the Labor Court in late August, Eliyahu reached a compromise with the union. The agreement stipulated the event would take place in October, with alternative activities for employees who did not wish to attend. The legal proceedings were subsequently dropped. However, Eliyahu has since stalled progress on the event and the Eilat trip.

The union's latest letter to Eliyahu expresses concern that he is using these events as leverage to impose unacceptable directives on employees. They emphasize their commitment to preventing the exclusion of women from public spaces within the ILA and elsewhere, and to ensuring the full utilization of the welfare budget for employees.

Eliyahu's position has been precarious since his appointment as acting director. His initial nomination for the permanent director general role was disqualified by the Supreme Court on July 15 due to his close ties to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and conflicts of interest among the selection committee members. The government appointed him acting director the day after his disqualification, but the Knesset's subsequent dissolution complicated further appointments. The Attorney General ruled against forming a new selection committee during the election period, a decision the government unsuccessfully appealed to the Supreme Court.