Israeli High Court Cancels Yehuda Eliyahu's Appointment as Israel Lands Authority Director

The Israeli High Court of Justice annulled the appointment of Yehuda Eliyahu as director of the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) on Wednesday. This decision followed the government's acceptance of the court's recommendation to cancel Eliyahu's appointment and to return the selection process to the committee responsible for vetting candidates. Despite the cancellation, Eliyahu will remain in his role until July 22, after which an acting director will be appointed to manage the authority during the interim period.

The court's ruling came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Haim Katz informed the court that they agreed with the judges' proposal. The recommendation includes re-examining the appointment process with a reconstituted selection committee, as concerns about conflicts of interest were raised regarding two of the five current committee members, Meirun Prozner, head of the Budget Department at the Finance Ministry, and Professor Idit Solberg. These members will be replaced before the committee resumes its work.

This development marks a setback for Bezalel Smotrich, who had supported Eliyahu's appointment. The government’s cooperation with the court’s recommendation ensures a renewed and presumably more transparent selection process for the ILA director position. Eliyahu’s continued tenure until late July aims to maintain operational stability at the Israel Lands Authority during the transition.