Rights9/17/2026

High Court of Justice Demands Explanations for Delay in Grants to 1,445 Evacuees

Four Sderot residents petitioned the High Court of Justice after their appeals against the denial of their applications for an independent accommodation grant remained undecided. The dispute concerns 1,445 evacuees from southern and northern Israel whom hotels reported as guests, even though the citizens themselves claim they found accommodation independently.

Key facts

•Petitioners: four Sderot residents
•Court: High Court of Justice
•Petition filed in February 2025
•Pending applications: 1,445
•Deadline for the state’s response: 60 days
•The case number and grant amount were not specified

Why the Dispute Arose

Following the events of October 7, residents of the border areas were offered two options: state-funded accommodation, primarily in hotels, or an independent accommodation grant. The petitioners’ grant applications were denied because, according to state records, they were registered as having stayed in hotels. They dispute these records and presented, among other things, certificates of reserve military service and documents from employers that they claim prove they stayed elsewhere.

Who Petitioned the Court

The petition was filed in February 2025 by four Sderot residents, with the assistance of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel. The respondents are Tourism Minister Haim Katz, the Ministry of Tourism, and the National Insurance Institute. According to the report, the denial of the grant also left some evacuees owing a debt to the National Insurance Institute.

The Ministry of Tourism’s Position

The ministry stated that it could not reconcile the discrepancy between the citizens’ claims and the hotels’ reports. In its response to the petition, the ministry also noted that it was not authorized to adjudicate appeals of this kind and that primary legislation was required for that purpose. Nevertheless, the ministry reported attempts to assist through mediation and settlement proceedings with the hotels and other accommodation providers.

What the High Court of Justice Ruled

The High Court of Justice issued an order nisi and required the tourism minister and the Ministry of Tourism to explain why a detailed procedure for reviewing appeals against hotel records had not been established and published, and why no decisions were being made on them. The state must submit an affidavit response within 60 days. The source does not report a final ruling on the petitioners’ eligibility for the grant.

What this means for you

The order nisi does not yet guarantee that the grants will be paid: the court required the state to explain the absence of a procedure and of decisions on the appeals. For people who claim they were mistakenly registered as hotel guests, the proceedings may lead to the creation of a clear mechanism for reviewing documents and resolving similar disputes. The outcome of the petition is not stated in the source.

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Case analysis based on court rulings