IKEA Eshtaol is going to win some prize at the end of all this. It keeps supplying us with a regular stream of news and posts!

Globes is reporting that the court in Jerusalem has denied the State's request for an immediate temporary closure of IKEA - until the full court case can be made and decided upon. The court decided that IKEA can stay open for now until the courts make the final decision on the case, whenever that will be.

The judge criticized IKEA for the building offenses, but because they did have legal permits (even though they built beyond them), it is not hurting the deterrence of the District Planning Committee in enforcing building code. The problem would be valid had IKEA built without permits and allo0wed to stay open, but because they did have permits, the court does not see this as damaging to the State's deterrence.

The judge also decided that the request for a temporary closure is unreasonable as it would create a negative impression of IKEA among their customers, and it would also hurt the hundreds of employees in this difficult economic time.

So, IKEA Eshtaol is staying open...for now.

I don't know why creating a negative impression among their customers is a factor to take into consideration when debating how to punish them for violations.  That seems strange to me.