Israel Matzav

Barak blocking link from Givat Zev to Jerusalem

Givat Zev is a town that is about five kilometers from Jerusalem, but well within its sights. In fact, my first memory of Givat Zev is participating in an Independence Day walk from the then non-existent town to Jerusalem's Ammunition Hill with Gush Emunim (Bloc of the Faithful) when I was a yeshiva student in 1980. Recently, Givat Zev completed a significant expansion that saw some of Jerusalem's burgeoning Orthodox Jewish population move to the suburb. Now, Housing Minister Ariel Attias has granted permits to build 800 more homes that will connect Givat Zev to Jerusalem. But Givat Zev is across the green line (the 1949 armistice line), and Ehud Barak's defense ministry is blocking construction.

A letter sent earlier this month from Construction and Housing Minister Ariel Attias to Givat Ze’ev Local Council Head Yossi Avrahami is threatening to cause a diplomatic crisis.

The letter, which confirms that the ministry was in the process of authorizing plans for a new 800-unit neighborhood that would connect the urban settlement to Jerusalem, comes at a sensitive junction in Israel-US relations.

Construction and marketing of the units is several years off and the issuing of housing plans and construction permits requires the Defense Ministry’s authorization.

The letter, sent on April 3, states that in response to an earlier letter submitted by Avrahami asking to be updated regarding plans to build the new neighborhood, the minister had checked with the relevant parties at the ministry and could respond that the planning of the neighborhood, called Mataei Ofra, was included in the annual ministry work plan and would be advanced, subject to additional funding from the Finance Ministry.

In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Avrahami said the letter states in black and white that the ministry was advancing planning of the neighborhood.

“Givat Ze’ev is in dire need of additional growth. In the past two or more years there has been no new construction and our population is desperate for housing units,” he said. “We have welcomed new residents in recent years and we welcome them warmly, but it is our sons and daughters who now have nowhere to live.”

About 11,200 people live in Givat Ze’ev.

...

Avrahami said the main obstacle for renewing building was Defense Minister Ehud Barak of Independence.

“Everybody who is connected to the settlements knows that Barak is enforcing a de facto construction freeze by refusing to sign off on housing plans or jurisdictional expansions. I only hope that there will be a strong lobby in the government and the Knesset that will help see the plans through,” Avrahami said. “It is incomprehensible to me that a Likud government that shares a consensus on Givat Ze’ev is allowing Barak to do what he’s doing. Netanyahu is being held captive by Barak.”

This has been happening more and more lately. I'm wondering how long it will be before Netanyahu comes under pressure to replace Barak with Boogie Yaalon from the Likud. I'd bet on that happening when Netanyahu comes back from Washington - if he doesn't say anything that causes the government to fall.

Labels: Ehud Barak, Givat Zev, Jerusalem

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:20 AM