But in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the Kaadans from moving to Katzir, the town appealed to the Supreme Court yesterday, saying the family had failed to meet the selection committee's criteria.
''I am very happy because this is the country's democratic process. . . . They did an injustice to a person who had done no injustice, just because he is Arab," said Kaadan, 49.
Israeli Arabs remained in their homes during the 1948-49 war that followed Israel's creation. They make up about 20 percent of Israel's population, but have suffered from discrimination. Many Israeli Arabs live in dilapidated towns with poor community services. Nearly all Israeli towns are either Jewish or Arab. In the few cities where Jews and Arabs both live, including Jerusalem, they have separate neighborhoods.
Over the years, the Lands Authority, the Jewish Agency, and the Katzir municipality have tried to prevent the Kaadan family from moving to the town, claiming Katzir, located in northern Israel near the West Bank, is a Jewish community. A landmark Supreme Court ruling rejected the argument as discriminatory.
However, since that ruling, the various authorities have avoided selling the Kaadans land in Katzir. The Katzir selection committee rejected the Kaadans, saying they ''would not be able to integrate socially," according to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, working on Kaadan's behalf.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel petitioned again to Israel's highest court, and the hearing was supposed to be held yesterday. However, the Lands Authority letter put an end to the process.
