This letter was from Likud MK Danny Danon, Director of World Likud, and it was about the housing protests in Bet Shemesh.
The letter said (my translation)..
The past two and a half years the construction in the secular and national religious neighborhoods of Bet Shemesh has come almost to a complete halt., which has caused thousands of people to leave the city. This has also the residents of the Regional Council of Mateh Yehuda, when the Ministry of Interior decided to steal sources of income from the council and transfer them to bet Shemesh in order to allow them to continue absorbing sectoral populations of limited abilities.--
Specifically in these days, as the land is shaking in the face of the housing crisis, it must be said loudly: tens of thousands of housing units that are slated to be built in bet Shemesh can help solve the housing crisis if only it would be divided equally among all the general population.
Therefore, I call to you to come to an emergency conference o this issue that will take place Motzei Shabbos at 21:30 in the Likud headquarters in bet Shemesh, with the participation of ministers, Members of Knesset and public figures.
I have no doubt that specifically us, the members of the Likud, can bring about change and renewal to the face of the city of Bet Shemesh.
The Chadash newspaper spoke to MK Danon and asked about his conference. They say he has no idea what he is talking about, and could only say he does not know when they presented him with other facts of construction for other sectors (not in RBS Gimmel or future neighborhoods, but new projects for chilonim and dati leumi in old Bet Shemesh), and other details that show Bet Shemesh is open to everybody.
I dont know what he does know or does not know, but you cannot force people to buy. RBS Gimmel is not designed to be specifically for haredim. Perhaps the marketing is directed more to them, but that is because they are the ones buying. It is true that future neighborhoods are being planned specifically for the haredi public, but the current construction is not. And if the haredim are the only ones buying in such numbers, why would they plan future neighborhoods for anyone but haredim - they are the ones buying.
Emergency conference or not, you cannot force people to buy apartments they don't want. If they can get people to accept living in a mixed city with a large Haredi population, and they will be willing to buy and create neighborhoods in their style, I am sure projects will go their way as well.
I hope that in the emergency conference they discuss finding ways to generate interest among the chiloni and dati leumi in buying in Bet Shemesh and make keeping the city diverse a real possibility.
"RBS Gimmel is not designed to be specifically for haredim."
ReplyDeleteNot exactly. Chareidi neighborhoods, when designed from scratch are different. They are more dense. They have less open space, less variation in housing types and sizes, no malls, entertainment, and usually no matnas or sports centers. You can see it very clearly in the difference between RBS A and B. All in all a neighborhood designed for Chareidim, aside from any social issues, is simply not enticing to non-Chareidim.
and RBS Gimmel, at least the first stage of it, is more like RBS A. not specifically for haredim.
ReplyDeletelater neighborhoods are being planned more for haredim specifically, but Gimmel was not planned that way. They could easily get groups together and buy sections of Gimmel and live there with no problems. if they would want to.
Rafi, Bet Shemesh was given as korban to the Chareidim in the last election. Unless someone clearly designates an area for non-Chareidim in Gimmel nobody, even a "group" will not want to be part of a majority Chareidi enclave.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of how Gimmel is on "paper" there will be no facilities that the Chareidim do not "approve" of. Look no further than Resido Center on my corner. All you need is a bunch of fanatics to ruin it for everyone.
No, an entire section or sections of Gimmel will have to be specifically designated or it won't work. And even that is a long if the city becomes a "Chareidi" city. The housing market is not quite as free as you make it seem.
This is a very said reality of living here, but it is a reality.