Mossawa Center Petitions Ministry of Environmental Protection for Transparency on Budget Discrimination

The Mossawa Center, represented by lawyers Ghanem Ghazawi and Marian Abi Nader, has filed a petition against the Ministry of Environmental Protection, demanding full disclosure of information regarding budgets and programs implemented in Arab communities. The petition, submitted to the Central Court in Jerusalem, seeks details on the implementation of government resolutions 550, 1279, 1804, and 1834 for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024.

The petition was filed under the Freedom of Information Law, requesting information and plans related to the budgets allocated to Arab towns for 2023-2024, specifically concerning the implementation of government plans. Government Plan 550, for instance, allocated a budget of 300 million shekels ($80M) for waste treatment infrastructure in Arab towns, including recycling initiatives.

In mid-2023, the Mossawa Center requested this information from the Ministry of Environmental Protection but received no response. The lack of transparency forced the center to file a petition to ensure governmental accountability and oversight of the implementation of these critical decisions.

According to the petition, the Ministry of Finance was expected to allocate 250 million shekels ($66M; 50 million shekels annually, or $13M annually) to the Ministry of Environmental Protection for activities aimed at improving environmental quality, climate change preparedness, green construction, and educational initiatives in Arab towns. This allocation is in addition to the ministry's annual budget of approximately 400 million shekels ($106M).

The budgets included allocations of 17.5% for Government Resolution No. 1279 concerning Arab towns in the Negev, with 44 million shekels ($11M) for climate change initiatives and another 53 million shekels ($14M) for the cleanliness fund. Government Resolution No. 1804, focused on developing the village of Jisr al-Zarqa, allocated 2.4 million shekels ($640,000) to establish a waste collection and treatment system and 18 million shekels ($4.8M) to develop the village’s fishing industry.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection, responsible for environmental and public health by enforcing environmental laws and standards, also operates under binding international agreements. Its responsibilities include air quality management, waste handling, hazardous materials supervision, and natural resource protection. Public participation in environmental conservation is promoted through awareness projects, education, dissemination of detailed information, and support for local authorities and organizations.

Lawyer and Mossawa Center board member Ghanem Ghazawi emphasized in the petition that “freedom of information is a crucial tool for influencing the executive authority's work and pursuing the public interest. Concealing information undermines the right to equality, the rule of law, and human rights, all aimed at ensuring governmental transparency, a foundation of a democratic society. It is unreasonable for a ministry to conceal information about the implementation of government resolutions, suggesting discriminatory policies towards Arab towns."

In the past year, Mossawa Center had to file multiple petitions through lawyer Marian Abi Nader against the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Social Welfare, resulting in the courts mandating the release of the required information and awarding court costs.

Nibal Aradat, coordinator of the Legal and Parliamentary Advocacy Department at the Mossawa Center, stated, "The required information is vital for the Arab community, which faces discrimination in economic and social spheres. Government Resolution 550 aimed to reduce some of these gaps, but the absence of transparency undermines efforts to improve the quality of life for Arab citizens."

It is important to note that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs is promoting the aforementioned government resolution in international economic and political institutions.