The Tel Aviv District Court ruled that the Tel Aviv municipal company will pay the contractor A. Elias 1.1 million shekels for renovation work at the Independence House, along with the return of approximately 500,000 shekels in withheld funds. The Independence House, considered a historic site, is at the center of a legal dispute after the state halted funding for the renovation project, citing financial irregularities. The municipality claims that the state is shirking its funding responsibility, which led to the cessation of work and left the building in a dilapidated state. Judge Gershon Gontobnik emphasized the importance of the building and expressed concern about the current situation, where the building has stood as a ruined shell for many years. The Elias company, which carried out the structural work, claims it is entitled to payment for its services, and the cessation of work has economically harmed it. The judge ruled that the museum should pay the contractor, while the settlement between the museum and the state will be addressed separately.