Evacuees Deserve Clear Policies for Temporary Housing in Hotels

A house damaged during the war with Iran. Photo: © Yoav Loeff

Since October 7, and especially during the rounds of fighting with Iran, thousands of people in Israel have been forced to leave their homes after they were damaged and to stay in hotels as a temporary housing solution. However, policies regarding housing for evacuees is inconsistent, with no clear rules, no easily-accessible information, and insufficient involvement of health and welfare authorities. The result is that people who are already dealing with trauma and the loss of their homes are also required to deal with bureaucracy and the risk of being told to leave their temporary housing without any alternative solutions. 

On May 14, 2026, ACRI submitted an appeal to the Property Tax Authority and the National Emergency Authority, demanding that the issue of evacuation to hotels be regulated via comprehensive procedures. In the appeal, Attorney Michal Tadjer outlines the main problems with the current system, including: 

• The lack of policies regarding timelines and criteria for extending stays in a hotel; 

• The lack of distinction between renters, apartment owners, and public housing residents; 

• A hotel stay limit of only 14 days, which in practice does not allow time to find alternative housing; 

• Decision-making that lacks transparency or accountability in response to requests to extend hotel stays; 

• The absence of clear options to appeal decisions; 

• Information centers that are not authorized to provide meaningful responses to evacuees seeking information; 

• Forcing people out of hotels with little notice, sometimes without ensuring they have somewhere to go. 

These issues violate the rights to live in dignity, personal security, and due process, and they undermine the ability of evacuees to rebuild their lives. The current system must be updated and made into policies that are clear, accessible, and binding and the time to do so is now, and not when there is a crisis and state of emergency.  

ACRI’s proposals for improvement include:  

• Extending the minimum hotel stay period to at least 30 days; 

• Establishing that people should not be evacuated from a hotel during active war; 

• Setting clear policies for extensions, a designated authority authorized to make decisions, and an appeals process; 

• Involving local authorities in decisions regarding transfers to a hotel or leaving it; 

• Including health, welfare, and family circumstances as factors, and not only financial considerations. 

ACRI's appeal, May 14, 2026 (Heb)