
The Ramat Negev Regional Council issued a razing order and an order to cease construction against work on a tent city meant to house thousands of infiltrators, citing lack of permit as the reason.
A letter sent by Ramat Negev Council head Shmulik Rifman, who also serves as the local planning and construction committee chairman, said that all construction was done without a permit and must be ceased and destroyed. The committee said that construction had ceased as a result.
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Rifman accused the Defense Ministry of improper conduct. "Construction commenced without a permit and that is why we issued a razing order," he said. "If the ministry fails to comply we shall take this to court."
Construction work in south (Photo: Eliad Levy)
Rifman has voiced opposition to the expansion of the Saharonim prison and the construction of another detention center for infiltrators several times in the past. Two years ago, he sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming that "5,000 work migrants will cause a drop in the quality of life and a rise in crime rates."
The Defense Ministry said in response, "The ministry is working under the prime minister's guidelines and according to the law. The ministry is the most experienced body in setting up national projects in a short period of time. The plan for the construction of infiltrator facilities will be brought for the approval of the national planning and construction committee next week."
Last week, the Defense Ministry announced that 20,000-25,000 holding cells for infiltrators in five separate facilities will be added by the end of the year, after a court ruling okayed the deportation of 1,500 South Sudanese citizens.
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