KKL-JNF to Resume Land Purchases in Central Israel After 20 Years
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
The Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) will resume purchasing private land in central Israel after a 20-year hiatus, aiming to combat illegal land use and preserve open spaces. The policy change allows its subsidiary, Himanuta, to acquire agricultural land in high-demand areas. This initiative, supported by local leaders, seeks to prevent unauthorized dumping and construction. However, potential challenges include landowners' expectations of future value increases, potentially requiring higher purchase prices.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- KKL-JNF will resume buying private land in central Israel after a 20-year focus on the Negev and Galilee.
- The policy change aims to combat illegal land use like waste dumping and unauthorized construction.
- Himanuta, KKL-JNF's real estate arm, will acquire the lands to preserve their agricultural designation.
- Rotem Yadlin, a KKL-JNF director, is leading the initiative with support from other rural council leaders.
- Concerns exist that landowners may demand prices higher than current agricultural land values.
- Himanuta recently purchased 1,700 dunams in the Galilee for approximately 280 million shekels.
After nearly two decades focused on acquiring land in the Negev and Galilee, the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) is preparing to resume land purchases in central Israel. The organization's management approved a policy change this week allowing its real estate arm, Himanuta, to buy private land in rural and open areas of central Israel, including agricultural land in high-demand zones. This shift is a response to the increasing illegal use of agricultural lands for waste dumping, earthworks, and unauthorized storage and commercial facilities. KKL-JNF aims to combat this by acquiring the land and transferring it to Himanuta, which will work to preserve its agricultural designation.
The initiative is being spearheaded by Rotem Yadlin, a KKL-JNF board director and head of the Gزر Regional Council, along with other rural council leaders. Yadlin stated that the goal is to protect open spaces from criminal activity and unauthorized construction. She emphasized that the problem extends beyond individual plots, affecting natural drainage and creating environmental hazards. The current enforcement tools are insufficient to address these growing issues.
Amit Yifrah, Secretary-General of the Moshavim Movement, welcomed the policy change but expressed concerns about its implementation. He noted that landowners in central Israel often expect future value increases and may be unwilling to sell at current agricultural land prices. Yifrah suggested that KKL-JNF might need to offer prices above market value to secure purchases.
KKL-JNF has allocated significant budgets for land acquisition in recent years. In October 2022, Himanuta purchased approximately 1,700 dunams in the Galilee for about 280 million shekels for various uses, including agriculture, industry, commerce, and settlement expansion. While the new policy for central Israel does not specify a monetary amount, it creates a framework for Himanuta to identify and negotiate for suitable lands, with actual purchase volumes dependent on allocated budgets. Yadlin indicated that areas within the Gزر Regional Council could be potential acquisition sites. The initiative has the support of 17 regional and local council heads facing similar challenges.
Mentioned
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.
