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Group: 20,000 Israelis want to move north
Heads of the OR organization will present plan for developing Galilee, including building industry, expanding educational institutions and reducing taxes. There's already a list of potential residents, all that's needed is a brave government decision
Ahiya Raved
Heads of the OR (meaning 'light') organization, who are scheduled to present a plan for developing the Galilee to director-general Efrat Duvdevani of the Ministry for the Development of Negev and Galilee on Thursday, said that "if the government merely provides the adequate support, it will be possible to increase settlement of the north by 50 thousand additional residents within a year."
They declare that they have a list of some 20 thousand names of Israelis interested in moving north. All that is needed now are places of employment, residences, subsidies and an improved education system – at a cost of approximately NIS 5 billion (USD 1.14 billion) a year for the next three years.
Ronny Palmer, CEO of OR – an apolitical, pioneer social settlement movement – believes that the task is possible. Prior to his imminent meeting with Duvdevani, he explains that a large part of the requisite finances have already been earmarked for use in the north, pursuant to the recent war. All that needs to be done is to channel them to the right places.
"The most taxing investment, in our opinion, in the NIS 10 billion (USD 2.29 billion) over three years to fund anchor industries. Other factories and businesses will pop up around them. The remaining investments need to arrive simultaneously in order to create an appropriate infrastructure to absorb residents – such as houses, education, etc."
Another issue emphasized by Palmer and his organization is the need for government pressure towards "population dispersal". In his opinion, it is possible to reduce development in central Israel in favor of development in the north.
"We need to increase significantly the taxes associated with building in central Israel in order to encourage contractors and, of course, the young population to move north. This will lead to increased housing prices in central Israel and profits to authorities there," they said.
Concurrently, organization members suggested that the Israel Lands Administration reduce taxes on Galilee lands for five years (from Nazareth north, without separation into regions of historical significance), to ten percent of the land value. Likewise, they proposed that the Ministry of Housing and Construction subsidize NIS 100 thousand worth of grants towards lands or house mortgages, for young couples only.
Regarding the chances of the plan reaching implementation stages, Palmer said: "We have the support of government officials at all levels, CEOs and ministers...The problem is that when we talk about raising construction taxes in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, we meet resistance from local officials and business leaders. What's needed is a brave government decision, in order to kick things off."
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