In response to the planned closure of an Afula park during the summer to non-residents, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit stated, “An order permitting the temporary opening of the park must be issued. Making such a decision [to close the park to non-residents] based on considerations of race, religion or nationality is prohibited”. It is alleged the closure of the park to non-residents was done to prevent Arabs from visiting.

Attorney General Dr. Avichai Mandelblit last week gave his expert opinion regarding the closure of an Afula park to non-residents of the city. In fact, he used his authority to inform the Nazareth Administrative Court that he opposes the closure of the park to non-city residents, instructing the court to issue a temporary order to open the park. This followed a decision by the city council to close the park to non-city residents during the summer, which opponents insist was done to keep Arabs out of the park. Mandelblit accepted the claim that the city council acted out of racist motives in this case.

Mandelblit explains that a public park is just that, a public area for all, and the city does not have the right to impose such restrictions based on considerations of religion, gender or race or any other orientation. Since he feels the decision was made based on one of the categories listed, he is ordering the immediate reversal of the decision.

City official deny the decision was racially motivated as alleged, but more to permit using the park for the enjoyment of residents during the vacation weeks.

בית המשפט המחוזי בנצרת פסק כי הפארק בעפולה יפתח לציבור החל מה-16 ביולי. זאת, לאחר שהוגשה עתירה על הכוונה לסגור את המקום במהלך הקיץ בפני מי שאינו תושב, בטענה כי המהלך נועד להדיר את הציבור הערבי מהמקום @samiaah10 @10elilevi • לכל הפרטים >> https://t.co/N74uzGIAHT pic.twitter.com/YXlBrBFG08

— חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) July 14, 2019

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)