High Court Cancels Yehuda Eliyahu's Israel Land Authority Appointment

The High Court of Justice canceled the appointment of Yehuda Eliyahu as head of the Israel Land Authority on Wednesday. The court set aside a May 4 government decision and the accompanying search committee recommendation, ruling that the selection process failed to demonstrate the substantial relevant advantage required for a candidate with close connections to a government minister.

The court specifically noted Eliyahu's ties to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The appointment had previously been approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Housing and Construction Minister Haim Katz.

Under a framework accepted by all parties, two members of the five-person search committee will be replaced. This reconstituted committee will then re-evaluate Eliyahu and two other top-scoring candidates. While Eliyahu's current tenure formally ends on July 22, he remains eligible to compete for the permanent position or a temporary acting director role.