And Mr BIBI is already AWARE of the housing catastrophe in Israel. Boy, with speed like this we surely can hope that our grandchildren may have some sort of roof over their heads.

I am willing buy your tents for 4x what you paid for them! Any offers?

And just who will replace them? Those who want to reduce housing by stopping ALL building in the "settlements". Yes that would help!!! Threatening what you cant do is just stupid. At least this gov. has been trying to do something

...looks more like the aftermath of a good trance party, lol.

He's aware of the protest tent city in Tel Aviv just like he is aware of the Shalit tent in Jlem to which he has never visited, not once. What he is aware of is keeping his job at the expense of most of the citizens in this democratic country. My kids who both have families, work, do reserves and pay taxes can't even afford a 4th floor walk-up, 50 meters, in one of the worst areas of Jlem where they live and work. Asking price: 1 million NIS!!!!

for all Israeli citizens and residents, but not foreign investors nor "invisible" citizens who buy houses here for investment, but live oversea.

...luxury apartments? If there isn't a balance, people are going to start squatting in these "ghost" apartments.

The government won't and can't change rental prices. It's simply supply and demand. The students should go live in places such as Kiryat Gat and bus in and out every day. They don't need to live in TA! One of the main reasons that I live in Arad is the low rental prices. I'm on a pension and would love to live in a beach front property. Maybe I should protest and ask for an apartment in Hertzliya?

Florentine is a trendy area of Tel Aviv and I want to live there. It's too expensive so what should I do? I have a tent.

but the problem has been around for years now, and while the Left were in power what have they done about it? Absolutely nothing.

That's not a protest, that's Shantipi

Very funny...you say you live in Arad because it's cheap, wellyou can because you are a pensioner. Almost all the jobs are in Tel Aviv so people who work have almost no choice. And it's not like it's just Tel Aviv that is ridiculous. Try living in Hezriliya or Ra'anana. It is at the point now where nobody can afford to live in Tel Aviv area unless they are rich and nobody can afford to buy a house.

Canceling the tax on a first apartment won't stop the problem if the problem is rental prices. Investors who own the apartment buildings will say thanks for the tax break and charge the same rents and if they don't get the tax break on the first apartment then they can make it up in rents anyway. If you want to get first time buyer who are looking for a home then tax breaks will help although not solve the problem because prices are so high anyway but it certainly won't do a thing to bring down rents. The market will always set the price unless the government is going to finance the construction of and own the apartment buildings can they control the prices.

I drive 1 hour each way to and from work in LA because I can not afford to live in Beverly Hills, who do I camplain to?

GIVE! GIVE ME!!, Subsidize me. I WANT!! I NEED. SOMEONE SHOULD PAY(but not me) We want Government control and re-distribution. GIMME OPM ((OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY)) WHAT IS WRONG WITH BIBI? HAS HE NEVER SEEN THE MUSICAL "RENT"??? Why won't they tax someone (else)?

The average wage in Israel is not 8k a month as the government would like us to believe but around 5k a month. We are a class of working poor. The banks are now asking us to come up with 40% of a donw payment for a home lets take a look at a 60 sqm home where I am located. Karmiel. about 500k meaning I needed to come up with around 250 as a down payment. Where in the world does a 60 sqm apartment sale for 125k US Dollar ? I am not talking about living in New York here or Tel Aviv this is the cheapest in the country. Now they seem to feel its ok to pay us minimum wage across the country and then charge these types of prices across Israel. Guess what this is called a bubble. Now between this and the price of food the average family has nothing left. And most Israelis I know have Minus in thier accounts. So your ranting means nothing to us. We demand fair wages for our work. And we demand that the rpices of Food, Electric, Gas, and Housing be reduced. If the greedy owners can not do this then we have to ask the "police" The Government to step in and take care of our business or we can do it ourselves Like the rest of the countries around us are doing also. Cheers Mate. We know your kind. Calling the kettle black.

And what is the cost of a decent size 100SQM residence in Judea or Samaria, of the Golan? Sure. You think that I am rich. A retired Civil Servant, with a 1/2 pay sinicure after 34 plus years, of hazzardous service. I do not live where I would like to live. I live where I can afford to live. And no one pays my way. Socialism sucks your self reliance dry and breaks your spirit; lets you think that someone else is responsible for you and your life. You are born alone. You make or ddo not make your way and then you die.

That Gideon knows jack about the harsh reality of living in Israel from his nest in comfy USA.

You do not live here you do not know .

When I made Aliya recently, The Jewish Agency kept on welcoming me 'home'. But I have found that I cant afford to rent let alone buy a home here

It is not a question of living in Judea ,Samaria or Golan because prices there are also sky high and wages are crap.The problem is THE SYSTEM. Comprende ?

I'm glad somebody finally laid out some numbers I can understand. So an apartment that is roughly 650 square feet is $125K American dollars. You need $40K as down a payment (40%), which leaves a $75K mortgage payment. Now here in the USA, a 30 year fixed mortgage is at about 4%. Which would give you about $450/month mortgage payment. While it does seem high for such a small place, unless it was beachfront then it might be a little low in some places. Your saying the average income is about $1250.00 American dollars/month in income. Is that correct? I just want to make sure I understand the situation before I comment

Prices have been going up a long time and if anything may be stabilizing Everyone knows that the reason for the prices is Netanyahu's building freeze in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria with some contribution from the houses needed by the illegal immigrants, The only question is why the protests now? The answer is elections. After the Oslo accords were signed, Arafat launched the First Oslo War, killing 200 Israeli civilians with his bus bombers. Despite impossible odds, Netanyahu succeeded where Peres failed and won the war. To win the following elections, the extreme Left changed tack from "peace" to social issues under the slogan "the sick woman in Nahariya". After the elections, Barak seized power, ignored his promises and first tried to surrender the Golan to Assad, and when that failed, begged Arafat to accept his surrender. In the ensuing Second Oslo War, 1000 Israelis died.

Both parties are playing deadly games. In the US, due to our last few Presidents and now with Obama, who was funded in by corporate money and Euro Oil Companies, all owned by the Queen of England, we see enclaves of wealth and a disappearing middle class with record numbers of homeless people. Livni is utterly corrupt. She is taking money from the same people who funded Obama because Euro Oil Companies want Tel aviv and other sea towns to steal the oil and gas. This is corporate man made disasters in regards to the housing cost. Europeans are already writing articles in the US saying Sea towns in Israel belong to Europe and not Jews.(A.P.)

Fior those who cant see the forest for the trees, I commented on this on another TB...Its all about bringing the governemnt down anyway they can. The left will use any device out there. All the while people are pissing on eachothers head with envy resentment and bile. Its called 'divide and conquer' and it works all the time for the people are crack ass stupid.

Average income was last reported as NIS 8800/month, or $2588 - but that is gross. Then deduct national taxes, municipal taxes, rent, water & electricity (if you are not living in a tent), food and transportation costs. Rents have gone up approx. 15% in the last year. Buying a flat is up approx. 30% in the last year.

Likud, wake up and do whatever needs to be done. Your own future depends on it.

People are detached from reality ,they all want to live in cheaply in the center of the country .

You may write whatever you think and connect the left wall with the right one if you please so. BUT the hard fact is that there is a horrid situation in Israeli housing market. For good 20 years all Govts, left and right, did NOTHING about it. They generally deal with "Piece Talks" and other great and high issues that take up all their time and have no solutions. Meanwhile bureaucracy is holding the Satan's ball on people's heads, the greed is rampant, and nobody even thinks about anything but money. The frighteningly expensive ugly dwellings (remember one in Jerusalem?) rise up in all best areas, and nothing is being built for those who serve in the Army and work their butt off for mean remuneration. It's very simple really - instead of silly bickering here, just compare. Prices in other countries and mortgage conditions. Where else will you find such atrocious situation? I've read not long ago about another great idea by Israeli Govt. In Ashdod they promise in some newly-built housing estate 20% of flats will go for young couples, with some 15 or 20% reduction in price. Now, the price of a flat there is about 1,5 million, so the lucky youngs will have to pay ONLY 1,25 million or so. 40% of that up-front, the rest - a mortgage under horrid %%% and glued to index! And you want young people to stay in country that treats them like shit?