Miri Regev: Why is Likud blamed for cost of living?
Likud MK repeats PM's claim that previous government headed by Ehud Olmert was responsible for housing crisis.
One of the leading figures in Likud, MK Miri Regev, said Thursday that she did not understand why the public places the blame for the cost of living on the ruling party.
The comment followed a recent Channel 2 News interview with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- who has headed the government for six years -- in which he blamed former prime minister Ehud Olmert for the housing crisis.
"I call on voters to return home and not to betray Likud… I can understand why the public in disappointed," said Regev in a radio interview. "The public is disappointed because it truly wants an apartment at a reasonable price that is no more than 700-800,000 shekels. I think the public is disappointed because the price of water is going up. The question is, why is it all put at the doorstep of Likud?"
Regev reiterated Netanyahu's accusation that the Olmert administration was responsible for the housing crisis. "Five, six years ago, a decision was made not to plan apartments in central Israel – only in the periphery," she said.
"This led to a huge shortage of apartments in the center. We recognized the problem four years ago. We made a decision and allowed the planning and building committees to start planning in central Israel."
Regev added Yair Lapid was elected because of the cost of living problem and said he would bring change, but failed.
