Israel Keeps Large Makom Israel Green Space Closed Despite Public Claims of Opening

The recent decision by the Subcommittee on Appeals regarding the Makom Israel site in the Dan metropolitan area does not open the large green space to the public as some headlines suggest. Instead, it legitimizes continued restricted access, meaning the public will remain outside the fenced area for years to come. The ruling allows only a narrow passage connecting Holon to Highway 44, which will be open during limited hours when the adjacent school is not in session. Since a boarding school also operates on the premises, this corridor will be closed most of the time.

This is not a true public opening but rather a minimal concession that maintains the status quo. The site represents the largest open green space in the densely populated Dan region, an area lacking sufficient parks, walking and cycling paths, and shaded areas. Despite this, the state continues to keep the land behind locked gates. Arguments that the presence of schools and dormitories necessitates closure are unconvincing, as it is possible to secure these areas while opening the surrounding land as a metropolitan park for residents of Holon, Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, Rishon Lezion, and the entire Dan bloc.

For decades, Makom Israel has been touted as a national asset, but a national asset inaccessible to citizens is effectively a closed property. The subcommittee’s decision failed to address this fundamental issue, merely providing a more palatable headline without changing public access. Consequently, millions of Dan residents lose out on what could have been one of Israel’s most significant metropolitan parks, receiving instead a promise of a narrow, limited-access corridor.