Israeli Man Removes Giant Flag After Legal Battle Over Coastal Highway Display

For over two years, a massive Israeli flag flew above the coastal highway at the Kfar Shmaryahu junction, delighting local residents and travelers. The flag, raised by Boaz Hayon, a demolition expert from Kfar Shmaryahu, stood as tall as a 12-story building and symbolized patriotism for the community. However, the flag's presence sparked a prolonged legal dispute with the local council over building regulations, culminating last week when Judge Moshe Asher Sarugovitz visited the site and ruled that the flagpole must be removed.

Boaz Hayon, owner of Tamar, a company specializing in sensitive demolition work, including the 2013 demolition of the iconic Ma'ariv Bridge in Tel Aviv, initiated the flag project after noticing a lack of Israeli flags in public spaces following the October 7 attacks. He erected a 30-meter flagpole near his old house at the junction and raised a large flag, which he increased in size and height after receiving initial removal orders. The flag eventually measured 10 by 17 meters, roughly the size of an apartment.

The local council, led by Regional Council Head Serge Korshia, argued that the flagpole violated building codes limiting pole height to nine meters in the area and expressed concerns about potential commercial use of the pole. Hayon denied any commercial intentions, emphasizing the flag's symbolic and unifying purpose. The dispute also involved personal tensions between Hayon and the council stemming from previous conflicts.

Despite the court ruling and the flag's removal, Hayon views the outcome as a victory for patriotism and unity. He plans to continue raising large flags elsewhere, including a 50-meter pole on Netiv HaAsara and an upcoming 60-meter pole with a half-dunam flag at the Nitzanei Oz interchange on August 18. Hayon insists on maintaining full-sized flags and vows to bring them wherever they are missing.

Summary: Boaz Hayon, a demolition expert from Kfar Shmaryahu, removed his giant Israeli flag from a coastal highway junction after a court ruled it violated building regulations. Despite the legal defeat, Hayon plans to erect even larger flags at other locations to promote patriotism.

Points: - A giant Israeli flag flew over Kfar Shmaryahu junction for over two years, raised by Boaz Hayon. - The local council challenged the flagpole's height, citing building code violations. - Judge Moshe Sarugovitz ruled the flagpole must be removed due to its excessive size. - Hayon increased the flag's size after initial removal orders, turning it into a symbol of unity. - Despite removal, Hayon plans to raise larger flags at other sites, including a 60-meter pole in August. - The dispute included personal conflicts between Hayon and local officials over past issues.

Topic: politics israel_relevant: true Entities: {"people":["Boaz Hayon","Moshe Asher Sarugovitz","Serge Korshia"],"organizations":["Tamar"],"places":["Kfar Shmaryahu","Tel Aviv","Netiv HaAsara","Nitzanei Oz"]}