Israel
Hundreds of Tel Aviv residents sue homeowner blocking redevelopment project over how it would impact stray cats
Shirley Hamani claims that building work would force her to ‘abandon’ her feline ‘family members’
January 16, 2026 14:13
Shirley Hamani claims that building work would force her to ‘abandon’ her feline ‘family members’
January 16, 2026 14:13A Tel Aviv court is set to hear a potentially precedent-setting case to determine the ability of a small minority of homeowners to block a major urban redevelopment project.
The plaintiffs, a group of 294 flat owners, claim that 97 per cent of those living in their complex have agreed to the development, which is expected to add hundreds of new homes in the area.
They are seeking NIS 2.6million (around £600,000) from a small group of their neighbours, who are objecting to the project.
Hundreds sue woman opposing massive Tel Aviv renewal project over care of her cats https://t.co/J0ezV1BpwM
One of the key figures in the anti-development camp is Shirley Hamani, who opposes the work due to the impact it could have on her sizeable stable of pet cats.
The keeper of 12 cats in her privately-owned apartment, Hamani also makes a habit of feeding the strays wandering around the neighbourhood.
In a defence submitted to the court, she argued that the interruption to her role in caring for the animals without proper alternatives would cause them severe distress.
"These animals are not ‘pets’ to me,” states the filing, according to Ynet.
"They are family members, with profound emotional and moral value. The harm caused by uprooting this routine and abandoning them is not compensation – it is a blow.
"There is, in practice, no available rental apartment that can accommodate all the animals under her care.”
Meanwhile, Hamani’s lawyer, Inbal Keidar Haim, insisted that she does not oppose the principle of urban development, but called for animal welfare surveys and arrangements to relocate both domestic and stray cats before work begins.
"This is not about stopping the project”, said Keidar Haim. “It is about modest, humane steps to prevent unnecessary suffering to animals, at negligible cost relative to the size of the development.”
However, Ziv Gruman, representing the plaintiffs, argued: “The defendants are preventing a dramatic improvement in safety and quality of life.
"Feeding cats should not prevent hundreds of families from moving into safe, modern homes.”
The case will be heard in the Tel Aviv District Court later this month.
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