Negev Development Authority Law (Amendment No. 4) (Amendment No. 2) Bill

What does the bill do?

The Negev Development Authority Law (Amendment No. 4), 5770-2010 (hereinafter – Amendment No. 4), which took effect in July 2010, regulated the matter of "individual farms" in the Negev, which are settlement by individuals in the Negev for the purpose of operating "combined agricultural-tourism projects". Amendment No. 4 set transitional provisions meant to allow the continued operation of a combined agricultural-tourism project that existed on the eve of that amendment's entry into force and operated with the support and assistance of government ministries, subject to the conditions set in it. In 2017 the transitional provisions were amended, and it was provided that anyone who ran a project in the Negev and received approval from the Minister of the Negev, the Galilee and National Resilience that they had held the land for at least 3 years before the commencement date of Amendment No. 4 for the purpose of running an agricultural project or a combined agricultural-tourism project, which operated with support and assistance given by a government ministry, may receive rights in the land from the Israel Land Authority for the continued management and development of that project as a combined agricultural-tourism project, without a tender. However, it was provided that the Israel Land Authority (hereinafter – ILA) may decline to continue granting rights in the land to such a project if, within 10 years of the date of the minister's approval or of the commencement of the amendment to the arrangement, that is, by the end of 10 years from November 2017, whichever is later, a plan under the Planning and Building Law allowing the project to exist on that land has not yet been approved, or if the planning institution rejected such a plan in a final decision even before that period. Because the planning procedures for some of the existing projects have dragged on, the amendment to the law extends the period for completing the planning regularization of the land on which the projects are located from 10 years to 17 years. Accordingly, ILA will be able to decline to continue granting rights in the land only if, by the end of 17 years from the date of the minister's approval or of the commencement of the 2017 amendment, whichever is later, a plan allowing the project to exist has not yet taken effect, or if the planning institution rejected such a plan in a final decision even before the end of that period. Extending the period will allow owners of such projects, who have been operating on the ground for a long time and have invested considerable resources in developing the area and operating the projects, to try to complete the planning procedures and obtain property rights in the land.