The National Committee of Heads of Arab Local Authorities, together with the Arab Center for Alternative Planning and the Equality Center, has called on Israel's Planning Administration to end what it describes as a policy of freezing and reducing development plans for Arab communities.
In a joint letter sent to Planning Administration Director-General Rafi Almalich and published by Al-Jarmaq, the organizations urged the adoption of professional planning criteria that prioritize equality while taking into account the economic and social needs of residents. They argued that Arab localities should be given a fair opportunity to expand and develop in line with their present and future needs.
The committee also requested an urgent meeting with senior Planning Administration officials to discuss what it described as practical planning solutions that would allow Arab communities to grow. According to the letter, several planning decisions made since the beginning of 2023 have resulted in the suspension or freezing of comprehensive master plans that were already at advanced stages, while approved development areas have been reduced without adequate professional justification.
The organizations further argued that, since Israel's establishment, no new Arab town has been created apart from the consolidation of seven Bedouin communities in the Negev, while more than 700 Jewish localities have been established. They claimed the disparity reflects what they described as an institutional policy with political and national implications that is presented as a matter of professional planning.