Addressing the Knesset plenum during a Monday no-confidence motion, Minister of Welfare & Social Services (Labor) Yitzchak Herzog stated the unauthorized outposts in Yehuda and Shomron are causing significant damage to the communities of Betar Illit and Modi’in Illit.

The minister’s words were in response to an Ichud HaLeumi no-confidence motion. Ichud leader MK Yaakov Katz explained that Housing Minister (Shas) Ariel Atias explained to him that he is willing to sign to authorize the immediate start of construction in Betar Illit, Modi’in Illit and Tel Tzion, but Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is preventing the move.

Katz called on chareidi parties to “awaken” to the fact that “hundreds and thousands of chareidi couples are living in storage rooms and storefronts,” calling upon the members of Shas and Yahadut HaTorah to give the prime minister an ultimatum, immediate permits to begin construction or lose their support for the coalition.

In his response, Herzog stated that he agrees and construction in the chareidi communities is imperative, explaining they are situated near the Green Line and have a large natural growth that demands new housing. Herzog made a point of expressing his support for construction to accommodate the natural population growth in those communities, but drew a distinction from yishuvim located “deep in Palestinian population areas”.

He added that unfortunately, the unauthorized outposts paint a picture that is unacceptable to the world, making construction in communities like Betar Illit and Modi’in Illit impossible, throwing the blame on Katz and his supporters, who are driving forces in the continued growth of the unauthorized outposts.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)