They warn against irreparable environmental damage and political harm.

Orit Bar-Gil 17 Jul 05 12:37
MKs Omri Sharon and Ronnie Bar-On (both Likud) last week strongly opposed the Safdie plan for the area west of Jerusalem, including the construction of 18,700 housing units on the Lavan ridge and Mt. Harat, and a huge high-tech park.

Sharon, who serves as chairman of the Knesset environmental lobby, said there was risk of irreparable environmental damage to a unique ecology corridor. He said the separation fence was already causing environmental damage to the area. “The separation fence is a critical need, but causes immense environmental damage. When construction west of Jerusalem is added, a situation is created in which the ridge is isolated and fragmented,” he said. “Suburbanization is destructive to the country and following generations. The vision of building everywhere was right for other times.”

Sharon thinks that the Safdie plan will cause the neglect of downtown Jerusalem and the flight of young, economically strong populations. He said the moment it becomes possible to build or buy inexpensive homes (in terms of the price of land per apartment) west of the city, poorer populations would be harmed, because they would be unable to sell their apartments in the city. Only those with means will be able to leave the city to live in the new western areas.

Bar-On, chairman of the Knesset Jerusalem lobby and a resident of Motza Illit, a suburb west of the city, said the expansion of Jerusalem westward would harm and weaken the city center. He believes that a higher density in the city center is a more logical solution. “National considerations were not taken into account,” Bar-On said. “When we’re talking about disengagement and promises to the US to strengthen the Etzion Bloc and Maaleh Edumim, how can we flee westward?” He does not think that the Safdie plan to turn Jerusalem into a metropolitan area will help it economically.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on July 17, 2005


Last Updated: 19-07-2005