Israel's High Court of Justice ruled on Thursday that the state must explain within 40 days why certain northern communities that were not evacuated were excluded from the economic aid plan. 

According to Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's decision, communities located up to five kilometers from the border should be evacuated. However, communities just 3.5 kilometers away were not evacuated.

The local councils of Avdon, Abirim, Fassuta, Rehaniya, and Hurfeish, which filed the petition through attorney Harel Reichman, argued that their communities should be included in the aid plan. 

Certain communities not evacuated

This is because, despite their proximity to the border—within five kilometers—they were not evacuated.

The High Court's decision is expressed through a conditional order, which shifts the burden onto the state to explain to the court why the petition should not be dismissed rather than requiring the petitioners to justify why it should be accepted.

Smoke is seen from rockets fired from Lebanon, near Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel on June 1, 2024. (credit: Avi Ohayon/Reuters)
Smoke is seen from rockets fired from Lebanon, near Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel on June 1, 2024. (credit: Avi Ohayon/Reuters)
Approximately 68,500 people remain evacuated due to attacks by Hezbollah in Lebanon, with towns along the northern frontier suffering significant damage from rocket fire, the Knesset Research and Information Center found in September. 

As such, Israel's security cabinet recently expanded its war objectives to include the safe return of evacuated residents to their homes in northern Israel, the Prime Minister's Office announced in a statement in September. 

The Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.