There is a mistaken impression among the Jewish public, and especially among politicians, that the Arab public enjoys illegal construction, and enjoys, for the sake of sport, taking over land and building it in height and in all directions as it pleases. But the truth is that this is a complex and long-standing issue, and the country's prolonged disregard for it, the lack of care - especially on the planning level - has made it even more intense.
In April 2017, initiated by the government, the Knesset passed an amendment to the law to enforce illegal construction. The law, dubbed the Kaminitz Law, is, in the eyes of every Arab citizen, a harsh, draconian and cruel law aimed at directly and deliberately harming the Arab population. It was enacted in Netanyahu's government, which, as you recall, never hid its hostility toward Knesset members of the joint list, representatives of the Arab public in the Knesset.
The law has tried to fight illegal construction in a sealed way, focusing on stricter punishment and giving powers to enforcement authorities to act quickly against anyone who builds without a permit. On the other hand, it has disenfranchised the powers of the Arab authorities, and no systemic solution has been incorporated. The government is earning "achievement", the state may be earning income from fines, but Israel has certainly missed an opportunity to historicize and improve relations with the Arab population in Israel.
The Israeli governments have time and time again missed an amendment that could be a turning point in the state's relations with the Arab population. They see planning and construction only as enforcement, and less the state's obligation to allow its citizens planning space in every locality. There is no doubt that an orderly state must enforce law and order, certainly in the field of planning and construction. But what should an Arab citizen think, seeing how since the establishment of the state hundreds of new Jewish settlements have been established and neighborhoods have been expanded in all cities and towns, and the state has not only failed to establish a modern and new Arab settlement - it is preventing the expansion of existing Arab settlements.
It was precisely from the government that declared the State's large investment plan for the benefit of the Arab public that one could also expect a solution to this painful problem, the meaning of which is housing and infrastructure shortages. Where the government and its planning institutions operate professionally, without political influence, they will plan and approve every applicable localization and settlement plan, which will ensure all needs and land reserves for two or three decades and even more, and provide solutions for anyone who wants to build within the boundaries of the locality, according to the law. The government approves an amendment to the Planning and Building Law, which mainly exacerbated the punishment and doubling of fines, along with shortcuts for issuing administrative orders against the violators.
And maybe it will go sweet after all. The Arab citizens did not imagine - nor did they want - that the law would harm a Jewish population, especially in moshavim and community settlements. But it happened, and that's why Prime Minister Netanyahu made a decision to change the law, at least according to a video he distributed to farmers. Here's an opportunity for cooperation - the victims of the law, Jews and Arabs alike, will find a listening ear with the prime minister, who himself called the law "changing" In dispute. "
