A petition was filed Tuesday morning with the Supreme Court by the Regavim movement and the Samaria Regional Council, demanding that the court order the immediate demolition of a Palestinian Authority building constructed just 75 meters from the community of Sal’it in Samaria's security fence.
The five-story building stands only about 250 meters from residents’ homes and near an essential electrical facility. According to the petition, the building completely dominates the security road and directly overlooks the homes in the community, thereby posing a tangible danger to IDF forces and residents.
According to data from the Regavim movement, construction and development work at the site began in 2022 and was completed only recently. In recent months, a new playground was even built alongside the building.
Throughout this period, inspectors from the council and Regavim repeatedly reported the matter to the relevant authorities, but in practice, no significant enforcement action was taken on the ground.
Regavim emphasizes that although the building itself was constructed in Area B, security responsibility in the area rests with the IDF and the Israeli defense establishment. Due to the severe risk to the community, a military construction ban order had been issued for the site from the beginning, but it was not enforced.
The petitioners make clear that after the October 7 massacre, illegal construction of this kind can no longer be treated merely as a planning issue, but as a security threat that must be addressed immediately and decisively. According to them, a situation in which a high-rise building overlooks family homes and a military traffic route requires a swift and clear response from enforcement authorities. They called on the defense establishment to exercise its authority and act without delay to remove the building in order to protect the area.
Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan stated: "We are acting responsibly and out of genuine concern for the residents’ security. The reality in which such a tall building stands near a community, overlooking family homes and a security route, requires swift and clear handling. After October 7, there is no room for containment and a soft hand."
"Although the building is located in Area B, there is no logic in containing and turning a blind eye to this illegal construction, which endangers residents."
He added, "We trust the defense establishment to examine the risk in depth and act in accordance with its responsibility to remove the building and protect the security of the area. After October 7, we all understand how important it is not to leave such weak points on the ground."
Regavim’s Judea and Samaria director, Ro'i Drucker, added: "Any reasonable person understands that illegal construction adjacent to communities and roads constitutes infrastructure for terrorism, and the danger to life is only a matter of time. Alongside the welcome shift in trend and the significant increase in enforcement in Area C in Judea and Samaria, the system must not abandon the security of citizens and hide behind claims of lack of authority because the area is classified as Area B. The defense establishment has responsibility, full authority, and above all, an obligation to preserve security and not allow the enemy to exploit the vacuum."