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I recently posted a Peace Now press release which took the words out of my mouth.
Peace Now has done it again. They sent out this week an alert with the cataclysmic news of record-breaking construction in the Jewish towns of Judea and Samaria (AKA West Bank).
I found much joy in reading the "cataclysmic" news release below and share it with you to bring tranquility and relief to you - the supporters of a free, dignified Israel, struggling to stand up to the pressures by Western imperialist powers and multi-billion dollar corporations who dictate concessions.
Peace Now Release
Construction Starts in Settlements Reach 7 Year High9/June/13
According to recent Israel Central Bureau of Statistics data, construction starts in the West Bank skyrocketed during the first quarter of 2013. Despite the fabled 'settlement freeze' or 'restraint', construction continued uninterrupted. Between January 2013 and March 2013 construction of 865 new housing units began. This is three times as many construction starts compared to the same quarter last year (January-March 2012). If compared to the final quarter of last year (October-December 2012), this is an astonishing 355% increase...
The CBS statistics does not provide a breakdown of all construction starts by location so it is unclear exactly how many units were begun in each location. However, the CBS data does note that many of the units are located in Modiin Illit (241 units) and Beitar Illit (265 units). According to our research construction is taking place in many settlements east and west of the separation barrier.Dear Peace Now,
END
Eight hundred and sixty-five building starts in Judea and Samaria is really nothing to get worked up about. It is a continuation of the policy of restraint being dictated to Israel by the US State Department and European Union which funds Peace Now and serves foreign interests. This restraint in building is hurting Israel, and I prove that below.
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| Graph of housing prices - madlan.co.il |
Note in the graph above that exactly 7 years ago, housing prices started to skyrocket and usher in the current housing crisis.
In other words, limiting building in Judea and Samaria has facilitated the housing crisis that Israeli society is trying extract itself from. It is hurting Israeli citizens. As per former senior adviser in the Housing Ministry Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz, some 60,000 units must be built per year throughout Israel in order to bring down the prices of apartments and make them affordable to young couples. That translates to approximately 7,000-10,000 units per year in Judea and Samaria (where land is more available and much cheaper).
The Jerusalem area lacks some 20,000 units. Jerusalem and its satellite communities (e.g. Efrat, Tekoa, Nokdim, the southern Binyamin region) must construct 7-10 thousands units annually to maintain normalcy in housing. Every year, 10,000 citizens leave Jerusalem primarily because there is nowhere to live.
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Instead of launching much-needed mass building, Netanyahu authorizes a few hundred units here and there in the eastern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, at which time Peace Now and its patrons in Europe scream. The result is that our Prime Minister succumbs to foreign pressures further escalating an already severe internal Israeli housing crisis.
Israel's drastically limiting the number of housing starts in Judea and Samaria to 865 per quarter simply doesn't supply the demand. Israel must do what it needs to do to solve its housing woes, and not listen the dictates of the foreign superpowers and corporatacracies and their local agents like you, Peace Now.
This government seems to be taking some steps to drastically change warped realities in Israel for the better. Let's hope for Israel's sake, that they will step up housing starts to the tune of 10,000 per annum in Judea and Samaria, alongside some 50,000 throughout little Israel.
Coming soon on this site: A One of Its Kind Report on Demands in the Israeli Job Market. Check back soon. Postscript: It came out. Click here.
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That is amazing that the housing crisis started when Netanyahu began to give in to the US demands not to build in the West Bank.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the data. Your blog rocks!
Steve in Toronto
I find it sick that people and groups like Peace Now even exist in Israel! I don't fathom why they even live in Israel, if they are so against their own kind building in the Promised Land. Clearly Peace Now and it's ilk are paid off; thus no matter what intelligent, logical facts that you put forth to them, they are going to continue in their evil, slander, and treason. To all those God believing, Israel loving loyalists: just keep fighting, keep voicing the facts, stand your ground, because remember, it is Holy ground that you are standing for!
ReplyDeletewell who cares, what genocide now wants? giving chech land away to germany, was also a peace now plan. subtle talking beasts of the fields, are always still subtle talking beasts. you shall not allow, subtle talking critter to seduce you. no matter what kind of delusional peace now candy they offer.
ReplyDeleteonce you take land away from idolaters of other g-ds, it is a sin to give it back to them. you shall not give, aid nor comfort to idolaters. and i have no need, to apologize to sodam and gomorrah either.
you shall not listen, to the corrupt san hedreen of washingtion not true to HaShem. they are a false prophet, deserving of their own pestilence, plague, and famine on their increase. look at what they are causing to happen in their own nation, for not being true to G-D. do we really want, to have our share in that? let them destroy, their own nation in their disbelief.
This information is very helpful for me to review as news headlines often contain summations of facts or opinions rather than telling all of the relevant data. Thank you for maintaining a blog. Thank you for letting me respond to your posting. I have a thought and then a question regarding peace and how it relates to Peace Now and to Israel. First, when people who live in a confined area do not want to share fairly, then how is peace achieved? We've seen the extremes be offered as a solution by organizations like Peace Now and others. But who submits the answer to "how will the people live?". This is my comment about the information above. If actions taken by governments or NGOs like Peace Now do not provide answers for how people can live together in peace,actually live and not theoretically, then are they bringing peace about? My question is about another divisive topic in Israel. Perhaps you can answer it in your next blog posting. The enlistment of hareidi...there is still no peace about these laws. In reviewing the Torah, Levites worked in the house of Adonai. Duties necessary for maintaining Adonai's House and things were assigned in an orderly fashion within a scheduled timeframe for the good of the nation. So, given that a group of people living together need to share in the "upkeep" of the dwelling place, house or land or nation, I am wondering why there aren't three options to the required enlistment in Israel to bring peace to all the people and meet the needs of the land and nation? Why not have the requirement be for two years of service for all adults in one of three tracks or "options". One option being the IDF/IAF, a second option be a non-combatant service field caring for the communities of Israel, and a third "track or option" being a registered internship within the Rabbinical Court or magistrate. Thus, someone currently studying the Torah could serve a two year internship in the Rabbinical Court, under a state sponsored Rabbi and his sheepfold, or for a state sponsored Rabbi caring for the needs of a community in Israel. These are in alignment with the duties of a Levite, they are in alignment with Israel's desire to remain a Jewish state, and they are easily governed and administrated in an already functioning system within Israel's government. Thus work that needs to be done is done and those doing the work are sharing fairly their time and energies for two years to support the nation in which they live. Just a thought from someone living stateside and wanting to see Israel's wellness improve and level of peace increase. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWhat percentage of 'Peace Now' members have a 'Torah True' education?
ReplyDeleteGet out there all you knowledgeable critics and start 'Torah' classes.
I started one here in Crown Heights, Brooklyn NY.
'HaMaaseh Hoo Aikar.'