(haipo) – The High Court of Justice rejected the claims of environmental organizations and the Haifa Municipality, which demanded that the court order the respondents to explain why the planning and construction order, which allows the construction of a power plant using cogeneration technology, will not be canceled, with an exemption from a building permit.
The High Court of Justice rejected today, Sunday, May 3, 2026, the claims of the environmental organizations Green Trend, Clear Trend and 27 other private petitioners and the Haifa Municipality, which demanded that the court order the respondents to explain why the planning and construction order, which allows the construction of a power plant using generation line technology, exempt from a building permit, should not be revoked. (These are two petitions.)
The power plant in Bazen – only a temporary solution for three years
In a hearing on a petition against the construction of a new power plant in the BZN complex without a permit and proper planning, the High Court ruled that the exemption granted is temporary and limited to three years only. The judges clarified that at the end of the period, the facility will be required to vacate or undergo a full planning process. The petitioners claimed that there is no real urgency, among other things because no work has been carried out since the order was issued, a claim that was also approved by BZN. Environmental organizations emphasized that this is a move that circumvents planning laws and may endanger public health, while the Haifa Municipality continues the legal process. According to them, even if it is built, this is a temporary solution that does not change the decision to vacate the complex by 2029.
Attorney Omer Bachman told "Hai Fe" at the end of the hearing:, that the judges expressed reservations about the petitioners' claims and indicated that they were not inclined to accept the petition. According to him, the Haifa Municipality insisted on continuing until a ruling was received on their petition, but the petitioners from the environmental organizations chose to withdraw their petition in order to avoid imposing legal costs.
Bachman added that the order permitting the construction of the power plant is valid for 36 months, of which eight months have already passed without the plant being put into operation. "We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal, both within the framework of the joint committee and in other ways, to prevent the implementation of the move, in which the ZANZ seeks to establish the plant and at the same time receive a building permit that will make it a permanent facility. This is an attempt to establish its presence in Haifa Bay, and we will not accept this," he said.
According to him, the judges made it clear that the petition is not expected to be accepted, and therefore the petitioners, the environmental organizations including "Green Trend", "Clear" and 27 private citizens, decided to delete the petition. However, the Haifa Municipality is expected to continue the process until a verdict is received.
Bachman emphasized that the mere fact of coming to the hearing was important, as they claim that any facility with pollution potential, such as a power plant, requires construction in accordance with a detailed procedure that includes an environmental impact assessment. "The court accepted the respondents' position that this is a replacement of a facility, but in our opinion this is an incorrect interpretation; this is a completely different facility. The Ministry of Environmental Protection also considered this a new facility, but its position was not accepted," he noted.
Ravit Shtossel, coordinator of "Cleaning Haifa Bay," added: "We knew from the beginning that the petition could be rejected, but it was important for us not to give up. We believe that a mistake was made here, and we will wait for the ruling to examine how we can continue to assist the municipality and consider taking the next steps, in light of the order given for three years. At the same time, there is an attempt to advance a legalization process for the facility, and we will act to block further steps so that it will not be profitable to build the station, or alternatively to promote alternative solutions for the coming years."
Elad Hochman, CEO of Magma Green"The High Court hearing has sharpened what was clear to everyone over the past year: there is no real urgency here, but rather an attempt to circumvent the law and reward polluters. Even if it is built, this facility is only temporary and will need to be vacated. The real solution is not the expansion of the BAZN, but its complete closure by 2029 in accordance with the government's decision. Haifa residents should not continue to pay with their health because of fraudulent planning schemes."
According to environmental organizations, the construction of the power plant in the ZAN complex is expected to deepen the already heavy environmental burden in the Haifa Bay area, an area that has been struggling for years with high levels of air pollution and excess morbidity. According to them, operating turbines to produce electricity based on fossil fuels could lead to an increase in pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, harm air quality and the health of residents, and perpetuate dependence on polluting industries instead of promoting a transition to clean and renewable energies.
The petitioners further emphasize that granting an exemption from a building permit harms transparency, reduces public and environmental oversight, and may allow projects with broad implications to be promoted, without in-depth examination of alternatives and long-term impacts.
Does anyone need more proof that the courts in Israel are against Israel? Against its quality of life? Against the security of its residents? Encouraging crime? Encouraging cultural destruction? Encouraging health destruction? Encouraging natural destruction? Acting as emissaries of capitalists? How much more will we need until we understand that the country is being destroyed in every area because of the ayatollahs in robes.
Did anyone doubt that the bad judges in the High Court would rule in favor of the polluters, instead of in favor of the residents? The High Court always sides with the tycoons, against all ten million residents of the country. We have seen this all along the way. The legal system has become political and self-serving, we must make a fundamental reform.