Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked is promoting an ambitious plan to establish 16 new settlements in the Negev, Israel Today reported.
This sounds like an important decision, which came to strengthen the Negev as the farthest and weakest periphery in the country, and to help solve the difficult housing crisis in the country.
However, those who delve into the decision and reflect on its considerations, soon come to the conclusion that this is the establishment of settlements for the strong and real estate investors, with only a declarative affiliation to strengthen the periphery.
Even before the plans are approved, there are already names for localities, and they will soon start arguing over the names of the streets in the "Build Your Home" neighborhoods.
But what about the existing localities in the Negev?
They are begging for treatment and strengthening, from Kuseife and Tel Sheva to Yeruham and Ofakim.
The minister and her staff have not yet given a single solution to the difficult difficulties in the Negev, and are already promoting grandiose plans that will cost taxpayers and the state tens and possibly hundreds of billions, and it is highly doubtful that they will do anything to strengthen the Negev.
Maybe on the contrary, they will only deepen the gaps and harm the existing ones.
Beyond the issue of hard-handled Bedouin localities, such as the demolition of houses by the state, the population in the Negev does not receive deep-rooted treatment on all issues.
The State of Israel is perhaps the only one in the world that invests huge capital in the establishment of dozens of localities for just one population - and refuses to recognize existing localities, some even before the establishment of the state.
It seems that the idea of establishing 16 Jewish settlements comes from political motives more than an aspiration to solve the housing crisis. This plan is the answer that Minister Shaked prepares for the criticism that will be leveled at her after the government meets the commitments it made in the coalition agreement for the RAAM, and recognizes three Bedouin localities in the Negev. And poor, compared to 16 new settlement points for the glory of Judaizing the Negev and increasing governance?
Imagine for a second you were transposed into the karmic driven world of Earl.
But all this time the country has not found the opportunity to establish a new Arab city, which will include modern infrastructure and attract a young and urban middle-class Arab population.
Most young Arab couples who fail to purchase a plot or build in Arab localities are "forced" to come to mixed cities or Jewish cities in order to establish their own home and family.
What is needed now is to strengthen 16 existing localities in the Negev, both Jewish and Arab, and not run to establish 16 new localities, which will deepen the gaps, perpetuate neglect and achieve their goal, not social, not Zionist and certainly not economically.
