Welcome to the Israel Land Authority
93% of the land in Israel is in the public domain; that is, either property of the state, the Jewish National Fund (JNF) or the Development Authority. The Israel Land Authority (ILA) is the government agency responsible for managing this land which comprises 4,820,500 acres (19,508,000 dunams). "Ownership" of real estate in Israel usually means leasing rights from the ILA for 49 or 98 years.
Four cornerstones make up the legal basis of the Israel land policy:
Basic Law establishing the Israel Land Administration (1960)
Israel Lands Law (1960)
Israel Land Administration (1960)
Covenant between the State of Israel and the World Zionist Organization
(Jewish National Fund) (1960)
The Israel Land Council determines the policy of the ILA. The chairman of the Council is the Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Industry, Trade, Labor and Communications.
The Council is comprised of 22 members; 12 represent government ministries and 10 represent the Jewish National Fund.
The Director General of the ILA is appointed by the government.
Functions of the Israel Land Authority
1. Guarantee that the national land is used in accordance with Israeli laws.
2. Actively protect and supervise state lands.
3. Make state land available for public use.
4. Plan, develop and manage state land reserves.
5. Initiate planning and development (Including relocation of existing occupants).
6. Regulate and manage registration of state lands.
7. Authorize contracts and agreements with other parties.
8. Provide services to the general public.