Transparency under test: Haifa tops the list of denials of freedom of information requests and the number of petitions against it

(Hai Fa – Haifa and the surrounding area news corporation) – The Government Freedom of Information Unit at the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior published the report on the implementation of the Freedom of Information Law in local authorities for 2025, which shows a significant increase in public demand for information from local authorities. Alongside the national data, the report points to a number of notable figures relating to Haifa and the surrounding area, including a high rate of rejection of Freedom of Information requests and a significant number of petitions filed against the Haifa Municipality.

More requests, more struggles over information

According to the report, during 2025, 11,111 freedom of information requests were submitted to local authorities across the country, an increase of approximately 15% compared to the previous year. At the same time, 16,896 requests were submitted to government ministries.

The data indicates a continuing increase in public demand for transparency and information from public authorities, but also significant challenges in handling requests from some local authorities.

Haifa among the authorities that rejected the highest number of applications

One of the most notable figures in the report concerns the Haifa Municipality, which is included in the list of authorities that have rejected the relatively highest number of Freedom of Information requests. The municipalities of Holon, Ashdod and Or Yehuda also appear alongside it.

It also appears that approximately 60% of the rejections in local authorities were due to two main reasons:

1. Inability to locate the requested information, which accounted for 60.7% of all rejections
2. Infringement of privacy accounted for 16.4% of total rejections.

Seven petitions against the Haifa Municipality

In the legal litigation sector, Haifa also appears at the top of the authorities against which freedom of information petitions were filed. During 2025, 292 petitions were filed with the courts against local authorities, with 82% of them dealing with failure to respond to information requests.

The Haifa Municipality ranked second in the country, along with the Jerusalem Municipality, with seven petitions filed against it during the year. Only the Sajur Local Council ranked higher with eight petitions.

The report also shows that out of 294 rulings issued in freedom of information petitions against local authorities, 95.6% of the petitions were accepted and only 4.4% were rejected.

Kiryat Tivon has not submitted a report for the third year in a row.

Additional authorities in the northern region and the surrounding area are also mentioned in the report in the context of failure to comply with the annual reporting obligation. Among the 45 authorities that did not submit the Freedom of Information Commissioner's report at all is the Kiryat Tivon Local Council, for the third year in a row.

In addition, the list also includes regional and local councils from the region, including Gilboa and other entities in the north that did not submit the report as required by law.

Alongside the audit, there are also outstanding authorities

The report notes that the authorities that excelled in responding positively to requests for information were Sderot, Ashkelon, Modi'in-Maccabim-Reut and Rosh HaAyin. In the area of ​​rapid response, Or Yehuda, Sderot, Jerusalem and Ashkelon stood out, responding to a significant portion of the requests within just 14 days.

The test of local transparency

The report's data reflects the growing importance of freedom of information as a tool for public oversight of the work of local authorities. For residents of Haifa and the north, the data raises questions about the accessibility of public information, the pace of processing requests, and the transparency of the local authority's activities.

The fact that the Haifa Municipality appears on both the list of authorities with the highest rejection rate and the list of authorities against which the largest number of petitions were filed is expected to spark renewed public debate on the implementation of the Freedom of Information Law and the right of residents to receive information from the authority in an efficient and accessible manner.