Page 26 - shomrim-annual-2024

Giving Voice to the Unheard

The Land Project: Investigating The Hidden Haredi Real
One of Israel’s Most Estate Empire: Billions in

Contested Resources Assets, No Oversight

Shuki Sadeh Shuki Sadeh
S homrim’s investigative series delves into one S homrim also uncovered the vast and largely
of Israel’s most critical and contentious as- unregulated world of religious trusts in Isra-
sets—land distribution. These investigations ex- el, a sector dominated by ultra-Orthodox institu-
pose the power struggles, hidden interests, and tions. With approximately 1,100 religious trusts,
lack of transparency surrounding land allocation these entities possess extensive assets including
across the country. land, buildings, apartments, and stores, valued at
One investigation uncovered a dispute between a substantial sum. These trusts navigate a complex
the state and Kibbutz HaOn, a highly sought-after legal landscape, existing between two legal frame-
community on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. works: the state judiciary and the religious legal
While the government aimed to open bids for a system.
new neighborhood to the highest bidder, Kibbutz This investigation exposed how the Chief Rabbinate
residents feared this would create an exclusive and religious courts both manage and oversee
enclave of vacation homes for the wealthy, turning these assets, creating a system with no external
the area into a ghost town. The state, on the other transparency or accountability. The findings
hand, argued that the Kibbutz was attempting to traced the historical roots of these conflicts
restrict access to the tender, granting preferential and revealed their connections to major national
treatment to insiders and securing land for crises, including the Mount Meron disaster and the
members’ children at discounted rates—effectively judicial overhaul.
shutting out broader public participation. Through these investigations, Shomrim sheds light
Another investigation exposed how rising land on the hidden dynamics of Israel’s land battles,
prices in the West Bank have shifted settlement uncovering how power, politics, and financial
ideology in favor of profit-driven motives. While interests shape the country’s most valuable
once seen as a national mission, land development resource.
beyond the Green Line is now increasingly driven
by financial gains, sidelining ideological priorities.
A further report unraveled the intricate government
mechanisms used to secretly fund illegal outposts
in the West Bank, revealing how public money is
funneled through opaque bureaucratic channels to
support unauthorized settlements.

Shomrim | 26 | Annual Report