On December 10, International Human Rights Day was marked in Israel and abroad. The purpose of this day is to raise popular awareness of the natural fundamental rights of every human being, including the right to life and security, to liberty, equality and dignity.
In light of the importance and centrality of the issue of human and citizen rights in our lives, the State Comptroller and Ombudsman, Judge (ret.) Joseph Haim Shapira, decided to place emphasis on the subject during his term of office. In recent years, several audit reports dealing with the state's handling of human rights issues have been published (in Hebrew), such us State Assistance for Holocaust Survivors; State Pension Arrangements; Education for Coexistence and Prevention of Prejudice; Treatment of Non-Expellable Foreigners in Israel.
The Office of the Ombudsman also works on a daily basis to protect the rights of those turning to it. The Office considers the constitutional norms in the State of Israel relating to human rights a cornerstone of all that relates to the investigation of complaints. An example of this is the complaint that appeared in Annual Report 44 of the Office, which was published this year.
The member of a minority group who was eligible for public housing applied to the Ministry of Construction and Housing for a four-roomed apartment in his town of residence. When an apartment became available, it was not offered to him despite his being at the top of the waiting list, because it was situated in a street that had a distinct Jewish character.
After examining the matter, the State Comptroller and Ombudsman informed the Minister of Construction and Housing that the failure to allocate an apartment to a person because he belonged to the Arab minority group in Israel, allocating it instead to someone else because he belonged to the majority Jewish group, constituted a discriminatory administrative decision which violated human dignity.
The considerations that are relevant for distinguishing between eligible and non-eligible persons relate to the financial, social and/or health situation of those requiring the services of public housing; their national affiliation is irrelevant to the question of their eligibility.
In light of the Ombudsman's standpoint, the Ministry of Construction and Housing notified him that the inequitable practice of allocating public housing on the discriminatory basis of national affiliation had forthwith been abolished.