The Equal Rights Commission for People with Disabilities at the Ministry of Justice imposed a financial sanction of tens of thousands of shekels on the Rosh HaAyin Municipality, following accessibility violations found at the municipal welfare office, even though the municipality reported it as accessible as early as 2022.
In an inspection conducted by the Commission at the bureau in August 2025, seven violations of accessibility regulations were found. For some of them, the municipality was given an administrative warning, and for others, it was given the opportunity to submit a letter of commitment and deposit a bond.
The municipality did not meet the conditions and deadlines set, claiming that the treatment was delayed due to the absence of the accessibility coordinator and that most of the deficiencies had already been corrected. This claim was rejected by the commission.
The commission ruled that a local authority cannot make its compliance with its obligations dependent on the absence of a particular employee, and that correcting the deficiencies retrospectively does not make the enforcement process unnecessary. As a result, the municipality was imposed a financial sanction of tens of thousands of shekels.
Commissioner for Equal Rights for People with Disabilities, Dan Rashel: "Accessibility is not a recommendation - it is a legal obligation and a basic right. This is especially serious when it comes to a welfare office, which also provides services to people with disabilities. A local authority that reports that a public building is accessible must verify that it is actually accessible. The commission will continue to enforce accessibility provisions with determination and ensure an equal, independent and respectful public service.".
