Despite the opposition of the Americans: Settlement construction in Jerusalem, and Beitar Illit

News for Jerusalem and the settlements: Ministry of Housing will publish an auction for the construction of 800 apartments in East Jerusalem and 400 in Gush Etzion, including Beitar Illit, Ariel and Ma'aleh Adumim.

Housing Ministry announced an auction will take through the Israel Lands Administration to market the 1,200 housing units in East Jerusalem and the major settlement blocs.

Housing units is undergoing all procedures for necessary planning and construction, but construction was halted and the auction is the continuation for the actual construction of these units.

Neighborhoods of Gilo and Har Homa housing units will be marketed 400 and 210 respectively, and Pisgat Zeev, north of the city would be sold 183 apartments.
In the large settlement blocs will be built another 400 housing units: 117 Ariel, 149 in Efrat, Ma'ale Adumim 92 and 36 in Beitar Illit.

Housing Minister Uri Ariel said, "The Israeli government is lowering the cost of living in all parts of Israel. No country in the world accepts dictates from other countries where it is allowed to build and where not to. We will continue to market homes and build all over the country, the Negev, the Galilee and the center to meet the needs of all residents of the State of Israel. That is the right thing now, both Zionist and economically."

Mayor Meir Rubinstein responded and said: "With respect to the government indeed, for remembering during this defrosting that this city is 10% of the West Bank is a mockery.

"We hope the government will reconsider and recognize that, as all Israeli governments have recognized in the past, the city is a city with more international consensus and one of the best solutions available to the ultra-Orthodox public in Israel."

Yesh Atid chairman condemned the announcement by the Minister of Housing, noting that the solutions to the problem of housing demand should be in implemented areas - "This is the cabinet housing purpose."

In addition, he stressed that "the use of resources for middle class housing to defy unnecessary defiance against the Americans and impede peace talks is wrong and does not help the process."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!