Tel Aviv Port Settlement Ends Decades of Historic Coastal Residency
The Tel Aviv District Court approved a settlement requiring the final residents at 9 Tel Aviv Port Street to evacuate within six months for 2.2 million NIS, ending a decades-long coastal residency to expand the public promenade.
The property at 9 Tel Aviv Port Street is not just another address on the map, but a piece of history located right on the sands south of the Tel Aviv Port, famous from the 1972 film by Arik Einstein and Uri Zohar. The rare dream of living a stone's throw from the waves, which began in the late 1950s, is now coming to an end as the Tel Aviv District Court recently approved a settlement agreement requiring the Or family, one of the last remaining families in the compound, to evacuate their home within about six months.
Compensation and Legal Battle
In exchange for the evacuation, the family will receive compensation of 2.2 million NIS, with half a million NIS transferred immediately to an escrow account to assist in finding alternative housing. Behind the settlement lies a long legal battle involving mutual claims. The family argued they previously purchased the rights from the former owner for an amount equivalent to a four-room apartment in north Tel Aviv, and that proximity to the sea caused accelerated wear and tear, requiring massive maintenance investments.
The Tel Aviv Municipality and the Israel Land Authority stated that living on the site was done without an official agreement or permit, noting that additional housing units were built and rented out to third parties over the years.
Future of the Coastal Strip
The current arrangement follows a Magistrate's Court decision from mid-last year ruling that the structures must be evacuated by June 2026 due to lack of proven property rights. The compensation is added to amounts previously paid to four other evacuated families. The Tel Aviv Municipality clarified that clearing the compounds is essential for the general public, as the area is designated for expanding the adjacent parking lot, increasing the beach area, and continuously connecting the promenade from the Tel Aviv Port to the Hilton Beach.
