The Bet Shemesh Partition Plan Continues To Stay On the Agenda

For the past 10 weeks or so, the idea of splitting Bet Shemesh has been on the table. No matter how many times some try to remove it from the agenda, it keeps getting put back on. While initially it looked like the suggestion would not have a chance at passing even local support, let alone at the national government level, it looks like the local activists behind the idea have somehow kept it on the agenda and are working on turning it into a realistic idea, and eventually reality.

Two weeks ago it was reported that the local activists succeeded in presenting their partition plan to Prime Minister Netanyahu about how the division would work. Now, Calcalist is reporting, Netanyahu has appointed Deputy Minister Gila Gamliel to the position of being responsible for analyzing the possibility.

Mayor of Bet Shemesh Moshe Abutbol continues to oppose the partition plan, as I think he well should, though I think his explanations are demeaning and are meant to avoid discussing the actual issue by accusing of its proponents of having a political agenda. Abutbol has responded that it is not serious and it is simply local Likud activists who want to bring back the reins of local power to Likud hands, as it used to be.  I think he is doing a disservice to the necessity to oppose the plan, which seems to be picking up steam, by saying this. Perhaps that is part of it, but the main issue is the housing - the people of old Bet Shemesh feel locked out of all new building projects. They feel the city has been taken from them. To stop this plan, that is something that needs to be dealt with.

Instead of building with poor planning at massive speeds just to solve a national housing problem for the haredi community, add some new neighborhoods - not jut a few buildings - to be designated for the general public, young couples who recently finished army service, "children of the city", and the like. As much as he says anybody can buy int he new neighborhoods, everybody knows that the plans are designed to attract young haredi couples, and while technically anybody could buy if they wanted to, nobody besides a young haredi couple will want to. There is so much land available that there is no reason not to build for others as well.

Activists pushing the partition plan have said that the haredi sector works by organizing large and well-organized purchase groups to buy out projects quickly, and that takes away the ability from anyone else to buy in the new areas.

Deputy Minister Gamliel said to Calcalist that "we must effect some sort of division in the housing rights in Bet Shemesh. We must create a system that will allow houses in Bet Shemesh to also be purchased by residents of the original part of the city, as well by the children, as well by the secular public who want to live in the city. The current situation, in which all apartments put on the market are snapped up by purchase groups that contain only the haredi public, is damaging to the veteran residents. If to keep the composition of the population we will have to make a geographical division of the city, I do not discount that option."

As I said above, there is so much land available that Abutbol and others involved should immediately announce the planning of a new neighborhood (or two) for veteran residents, children of the city, yotzei tzava and the general public. As long as he keeps dismissing the issue, and just responding "anybody can buy", this partition plan will not go away. Unless maybe that is his goal - maybe he wants to divide Bet Shemesh and knows that this is what it takes. I don't give him that much credit. he should build some neighborhoods for them and put an end to this.

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