'As time goes by, the dream of building a real home here is moving further away'
The shattered dream of a home in Israel
Op-ed: Seventeen years after making aliyah from Switzerland, leaving behind a comfortable life, I have almost no chance of buying an apartment here.
Filled with motivation and love of Israel, I made aliyah exactly 17 years ago, leaving behind a comfortable and secure future in Switzerland.
In the past 18 months, my wife and I have seen more than 50 apartments. Most of them were quite modest. Nothing luxurious. But the absolute majority of the apartments we saw were beyond our reach. All our savings and the help we could get from our families are simply not enough.
Everyone told me: You're crazy, there's nothing for you in Israel, it's a land that devours its inhabitants. But I was determined to serve the state in a combat unit, live and build my home here. To contribute my modest share to the country I love so much, knowing that the state will surely reward me and my friends, the members of the middle class who are contributing and working so hard.
Seventeen years have passed. I still love this country, but my dream and hope for a secure future here have been shattered. The uncertainty and existential anxiety took over my life a long time ago. As time goes by, the dream of building a real home here is moving further away.
Comptroller's Report
Sever Plocker
Op-ed: The second and third Netanyahu governments are exclusively responsible for the total failure to help families from the lower echelons with affordable housing.
We found ruined places for exaggerated prices, old and non-renovated apartments requiring a massive investment, without an elevator, without parking, not necessarily in areas which are considered to be "good," for disproportionate prices.
When we actually saw something that seemed like a real option and felt that our dream was finally coming true, we had to deal with real estate agents who turned out to be crooks and greedy apartment owners, or were simply a day or two late because of the high demand for apartments.
The state comptroller warned about something we have all known for a long time: A hardworking couple's chance to sustain a family and buy an apartment is almost nonexistent anymore. This is an outrageous situation. There is no strategy, no guiding hand.
This is a huge failure by the leadership, which is simply doing nothing or, at best, doing too little for things to get better here. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convinced that the Iranian threat is a bigger challenge.
The housing crisis will deepen, and so will the situation of the health, education and other systems. With governments being replaced here every two years, there's no chance for a real change. In order for the situation to really improve, we need stability for at least an entire decade.
