Drama in court: "A pirate neighborhood built 360 meters from our homes"
The Regavim movement has filed a petition against the Minister of Defense, the Central Command, the Civil Administration, and the Israel Police, demanding the demolition of an illegal four-building complex in Barta'a, Wadi Ara.
The Regavim movement petitioned the Jerusalem District Court today against state authorities, demanding the demolition of an illegal complex of buildings constructed on registered state lands in Barta'a. According to the movement, the construction, carried out west of the seam zone barrier, creates a severe security threat just 360 meters from the homes of the Katzir community.
The petition was filed against the Minister of Defense, the Minister in the Ministry of Defense, the Commander of the Central Command, the Civil Administration, and the Israel Police, demanding an immediate order to demolish the illegal neighborhood of four buildings in the eastern part of Barta'a, Wadi Ara. The complex, which includes a residential building with dozens of apartments, a mosque, an industrial-commercial building, and another structure, was built without permits on lands registered as state property. Along with the petition, an urgent request for a temporary injunction was submitted to prevent occupancy of the apartments, alongside a demand to open a criminal investigation against the developers.
Construction in Barta'a
The petition details that the severity of the incident lies in the geographical and legal location of the complex on the seam line: in the eastern part of Barta'a, in Area C under full Israeli control, but west of the separation fence. This has created a persistent "enforcement vacuum," as Israeli law enforcement authorities are not authorized to operate in Judea and Samaria, while the Civil Administration treats the area west of the fence as outside its jurisdiction. This lack of enforcement allowed the developers to establish a "pirate" neighborhood just 360 meters from the homes of Katzir.
Despite repeated appeals by Regavim to enforcement agencies over the past eight months, no action has been taken. Meanwhile, the complex continued to expand, buildings were completed, and extensive commercial activity began, including a poultry factory and a grocery store. This petition joins a previous one filed by the movement regarding a similar "no-man's land" case in the area of Tayibe.
Roi Drucker, Director of the Judea and Samaria Division at Regavim, stated: "For a resident of Katzir who bought his home for millions of shekels, it is of no interest that enforcement authorities are arguing over jurisdiction. Land theft within touching distance of Katzir is not only outrageous in terms of equality, but constitutes an immediate security risk. We cannot allow such 'black holes' in the heart of Israel."
The head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, added: "We expect all security and enforcement systems to act immediately and with an iron fist. It is forbidden to allow security 'no-man's lands' a few meters from the homes of Israeli citizens. Our expectation is to see work stoppage orders, occupancy bans, and the actual demolition of every building constructed illegally on state lands. The main lesson from October 7 is that there is no vacuum—where there is a vacuum, it is filled with terror."
