After half a century, Israel moves to evict squatter from his cave home on the beach

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Israel Moves to Remove Longtime Occupant from Unique Beach Cave Home After Five Decades

For more than fifty years, Nissim Kahlon has painstakingly transformed a small cave nestled along a Mediterranean beach into a magnificent underground masterpiece. The intricately chiseled tunnels, mosaic floors, and network of staircases and chambers within this extraordinary dwelling have become a source of fascination for local visitors, and Kahlon, a spry 77-year-old, happily welcomes them into his subterranean abode.

However, Israel’s government now intends to oust him from his home.

Half a century after Kahlon first settled into the cave, the country’s Environmental Protection Ministry has served him with an eviction notice, citing the illegality of the structure and its potential threat to Israel’s coastline.

“Rather than supporting me, they are belittling me,” Kahlon expressed, seated in his living room adorned with mosaic tiles, as he rolled a cigarette. Sunlight glistened on the sea visible through his west-facing windows.

Back in 1973, Kahlon resided in a tent along Herzliya beach, just north of Tel Aviv, when he embarked on his quest. He began scratching into the sandstone cliffs, eventually creating a cave dwelling of his own making.

Over time, Kahlon’s modest dwelling evolved into a larger-than-life sandcastle, fashioned from recycled wood, metal, ceramic, and stone. Elaborate mosaics, meticulously crafted from discarded tiles of various colors collected over the years from dumpsters in Tel Aviv, adorn nearly every surface of his main living quarters. Outside walls are decorated and insulated using recycled glass bottles.

Curved walls dominate the labyrinthine complex, while winding stairways lead to chambers with distinct designs and purposes. The dwelling boasts plumbing, a phone line, and electric lighting in its numerous rooms, with Kahlon confidently asserting the soundness of his construction.

“From the stones I quarry, I cast and build walls. There is no waste here, only materials—that’s the logic,” he stated. “Everything serves a purpose; nothing is discarded as trash.”

Although Kahlon received a demolition order in 1974, it was never executed.

Since then, he claims to have encountered no opposition from authorities until last year. The eviction has been temporarily halted until the end of this month, allowing him time to file an appeal.

Kahlon acknowledges that he never obtained a building permit, and his beachfront restaurant, which he operated in the past, was shut down by the city hall. Nevertheless, his primary argument centers on the fact that local authorities connected his cave to the electric grid decades ago.

“I will not leave this place. I am prepared for them to bury me here,” declared Kahlon, a gruff yet amiable conversationalist, sporting a grey beard and beret. “I have nowhere else to go; this is my only home.”

Kahlon’s cave dwelling lies on the outskirts of Herzliya, a coastal city located eight miles (13 kilometers) north of Tel Aviv. It stands in stark contrast to the luxurious residences that line much of the town’s shoreline—an area associated with exclusive living in a country facing a severe housing crisis.

Just a few hundred meters north of Kahlon’s cave lies a Crusader castle, the site of a historic clash between Richard the Lionheart and Saladin over 800 years ago. Adjacent to it is an abandoned facility that once belonged to Israel Military Industries, a defunct government-owned arms manufacturer.

The facility, where explosives were developed and tested, was abandoned nearly three decades ago following a massive explosion in 1992 that claimed two lives, damaged hundreds of buildings, and shattered windows as far as Tel Aviv. Recently, another explosion created a substantial crater in the sandy soil not far from Kahlon’s dwelling.

Various Israeli government entities have accused each other of neglecting the cleanup of this abandoned and polluted site over the years. The Environmental Protection Ministry claims to have conducted multiple surveys to assess the pollution’s extent.

However, a comprehensive cleanup has not been undertaken since the facility was abandoned in the 1990s.

The ministry states that the Defense Ministry and IMI, which was acquired by defense contractor Elbit Systems five years ago, bear responsibility for securing the site. Remarkably, the facility’s main gate remains wide open and frequently serves as a venue for unauthorized gatherings. The ministry asserts that “there should not be any remnants of live ammunition” present.

Additionally, the Environmental Protection Ministry accuses Kahlon of causing “significant damage to the cliff, endangering the public, and reducing public access to the beach” over the past five decades. The recent explosion further amplifies the potential risks to the cliff.

The ministry claims that despite its efforts to resolve the matter since 2016, the Herzliya municipality and other authorities have failed to address the situation adequately. Consequently, the ministry issued the eviction order “to eliminate the harm to the coastal environment” and asserts that the municipality has arranged alternative housing for Kahlon.

In the meantime, Kahlon’s friends and family have launched a crowdfunding campaign to support his legal defense while he continues to pursue his lifelong endeavor.

After the interview with The Big Big News, Kahlon rose from his seat, picked up his walker and a mason’s hammer, and began chipping away at a nearby tunnel.

“I need to do something to feel alive. I cannot sit idle all day,” he remarked determinedly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Nissim Kahlon

More about eviction

• Israel’s Environmental Protection Ministry
• Herzliya Municipality
• Elbit Systems
• Crusader castle in Herzliya
• Israel Military Industries (IMI)