OntheIsraeliGovernment’sNewDecisionClassifying.pdfVIP

Adalah Position Paper On the Israeli Government’s New Decision Classifying Communities as National Priority Areas February 2010 Adalah - The Legal Center for the Arab Minority Rights in Israel Introduction On 13 December 2009, the Israeli government approved Decision No. 1060, entitled “Defining Towns and Areas with National Priority.”1 The decision classifies various regions in Israel and settlements in the occupied West Bank as National Priority Areas (NPAs). Around 40% of the residents living in the areas in Israel des- ignated on the NPAs map are Arab citizens of It is Adalah’s position that the new Israel. While this figure appears to indicate a governmental decision is illegal. Firstly, significant move by the Israeli government to- it contradicts and bypasses the Israeli ward the more equitable division of state re- Supreme Court’s ruling in the High Follow- 2 sources in Israel, this is not the case. Rather, the Up Committee case. Secondly, as Adalah decision is likely to lead to continued neglect has argued before the Supreme Court over and discrimination against Arab towns and vil- the last decade, the designation of NPAs lages in Israel. According to the new decision, a must be set forth in clear legislation and town located within an NPA region is not auto- equitable criteria based on socio-economic matically entitled to the enormous additional need. It is also Adalah’s position that the budgetary allowances and benefits previously allocation of massive state resources to granted to NPA towns and villages. Thus, while Jewish settlements in the occupied West the new government decision declares that Bank is illegal and indicates aggressive most Arab towns and villages in Israel are in- settlement development and expansion,