First Buyer Seeks to Cancel Apartment Purchase Option Over Duvdevan Airport Soil Contamination

A first buyer who purchased an option to buy an apartment in the Duvdevan Airport redevelopment project is suing the real estate company Gindi to cancel the deal and recover nearly half a million shekels. The lawsuit, filed on Monday at the Tel Aviv District Court, claims that buyers were not informed about severe soil contamination discovered after sales began. The site, formerly an airport, is polluted with PFAS chemicals, known for their persistence and links to serious health issues including cancer. These chemicals likely originated from firefighting foams used at the airport.

Although the Ministry of Environmental Protection approved marketing the land as clean, contamination was revealed only after sales started. In 2022, the Water Authority informed the ministry that local wells were heavily contaminated, some exceeding safety limits by 2000%, but no PFAS testing policy was in place then. Testing began in 2025, confirming high PFAS levels across the site. In July 2026, the ministry ordered Tel Aviv municipality to halt infrastructure work amid concerns that thousands of tons of contaminated soil were spread without oversight.

The plaintiff bought the apartment option in July 2025, paying 7% of the purchase price before contamination details became public later that year. She requested Gindi to cancel the option and refund her payment, emphasizing the contamination as a critical factor. Gindi refused, declining to extend the option period until soil survey results, expected soon, are released. The lawsuit accuses Gindi of consumer deception and bad faith negotiations, arguing that the contamination information would significantly impact real estate marketing, especially for a luxury residential project near the beach.

Experts criticize the state for failing to conduct adequate surveys before land sales and for not publishing updated contamination data since February 2026. Environmental engineer and real estate appraiser Roni Brill warns that future residents may be exposed to contamination not only indoors but also from dust during construction, neighborhood activities, and beach visits. She states the government's handling signals irresponsibility to buyers and the real estate market, leaving all parties at risk without professional accountability.