The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the decision by the Tel Aviv District Court to prohibit construction on a parcel of land in Nes Tziona that is one of the few remaining habitats of the Dark Purple Iris (Iris Atropurpurea, Irus Ha'argaman). The flower is unique to Israel.
After state planning authorities did not earmark the land for construction, on the grounds that a national park was planned there, the owners of the property took their case to the district court. When the court upheld the planning council's decision, the landowners appealed to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court justice said in their ruling that the planning authorities had carefully considered all aspects of the land dispute, and that they saw no reason to interfere in the planners' decisions. The justices emphasized the importance of preserving the property in its natural state.
