Following a dispute over the construction of an airport in Ramat David: a rift between the heads of the authorities in the north

Eight months after the cancellation of the decision to build an airport in the area, the mayors of the major cities in the north called for the plan to be returned.

According to them, the field will help in the economic and social development of the region.

On the other hand, the heads of the small authorities object.

"Mayors prefer another handful of property tax payments on residents' health"

Eli Ashkenazi

22/06/2022

Wednesday, 22 June 2022, 01:59 Updated: 19:38

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In the video: Queues and congestion at Ben Gurion Airport, just before the holiday: "Severe shortage of workers" (Photo: Niv Aharonson)

A plan to build an international airport in Ramat David has been on the table for nearly a decade, but the heads of nearby authorities and residents of localities in the area have been fighting it, and eight months ago the government decided to cancel it.

At the same time, the heads of local authorities in the south express interest that the airport will be built in the Nabataean area, but the IDF opposes

. This has led to an open rift between the heads of the authorities in the Valleys region, as the differing opinions on the issue once again raise conflicts between local authorities in the periphery, most of which revolve around control over areas that generate property tax revenues.

The five defined their announcement as "drama in the valley" and explained that the construction of the second airport in Israel after Ben Gurion Airport will strengthen all the northern settlements and will be an economic anchor that creates change.

An international airport is a mega-project that the north needs like breathable air. "The five also said the construction would also require" peripheral infrastructure that would strengthen the entire area such as public transportation routes, industrial areas and hotels. "

Map of the construction of the airport in Ramat Yishai (Photo: Eli Ashkenazi, Emek Yizrael Regional Council)

The five heads of authorities said in a statement that "the field will provide thousands of jobs and be a huge economic engine for suppliers and businesses that will provide diverse services: food, security, transportation, computing and more.

Authorities said they were not afraid of harming the quality of life as a result of the construction of the port, but rather the opposite.

"All over the world the most powerful cities are close to the airport and the quality of life is maintained," it was reported.

"Quality of life is also to earn a decent living, enjoy convenient services and transportation infrastructure and also to leave the house three hours before going abroad and not spend three hours traveling to Ben Gurion Airport."

In response to the announcement, their colleagues, four heads of local authorities and regional councils issued a statement in which they wrote "It is unfortunate that the heads of our neighboring authorities do not listen to the variety of professionals and opinions, indicating the enormous damage to the Jezreel Valley and its inhabitants."

According to them, if the airport is built, the benefit it will bring will be limited compared to the great damage that will be caused.

The residents' headquarters against the construction of the airport responded to the announcement, claiming that "this is a knife in the back of the settlement in the valley. These are mayors who prefer another handful of property tax payments over the health of the residents."

More on Walla!

The statements were aimed at establishing a complementary field for Ben Gurion Airport in the south. The reality looks different

To the full article

Planning the current transportation alternatives to the northern field in Ramat David (Photo: official website, no)

Yokneam Mayor Simon Alfasi, who supports the construction of the field, said: "I cried all these years that only the field can save the Galilee, but I was alone and no one listened to me. After all, it is impossible for mayors in the south to fight for the field."

According to Nof Hagalil Mayor Ronen Plot, between the public interest of all northern localities and the private interest of one local council or another, the public interest prevails.

"An international airport is a national project and a decision on the issue should be made from a regional rather than a local perspective," he explained.

Members of the Joint Forum of Northern and Southern Authorities, which are struggling to establish the field in the Negev, welcomed the announcement by the five major mayors.

"We welcome the call of the heads of the authorities in the north to establish an airport in the Galilee, and we gladly invite them to promote with us the best solution for the Galilee - the establishment of a regional international airport in Haifa, whose negative effects are negligible compared to all benefits."

This forum includes the head of the Jezreel Valley Regional Council, Eyal Betzer, the head of the Kiryat Tivon local council, Ido Greenblum, the head of the Ramat Yishai local council, Ofer Ben Eliezer, the head of the Megiddo regional council, Itzik Kholovsky, and dozens of other Negev authorities.

For more articles on the subject:

• Ministry of Agriculture against the construction of an airport in the Jezreel Valley: "Damage to produce"

• Just so we do not crash: the heated debate over Israel's next airport

• The natural solution to knee pain is closer than ever - with a refund from the health insurance fund

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