Ashkelon beachfront kiosk controversy raises questions as to local authorities, or even state’s abilities to protect their public spaces.
Can a real estate developer annex a part of the natural coastline that was intended to be public property, then turn it into a prosperous commercial enterprise? What are the state and local authority supposed to do to ensure that the coast remains designated for public use only?

The Ashkelon beach. – Photo: Eliyahu Hershkowitz
These fundamental issues are today being put to the test in the wake of a controversy over the future of a property on Ashkelon’s beachfront, in a spot where a commercial enterprise is operating.