The Truth about Lod Demolitions


By Advis3r
April 30, 2011
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Elsewhere on this site someone has posted a blog regarding house demolitions in Lod. As in most democracies the construction of housing in Israel is governed by non-discriminatory planning rules and regulations. So whether you are a Jew or an Arab etc. if you construct something requiring a planning permit without obtaining one you will face prosecution and the likelihood of a court order entitling the munipality to demolish what you have constructed imposing a fine on you and requiring you to pay the municipality's costs.
In Lod after a number of years of attempting to deal with this problem by negotiation the municipality was forced to take action against a number of its citizens some of whom happened to be Arabs and who have been flouting the law. After lengthy court battles which they lost the Arab families concerned were served with lawful eviction and demolition orders all in accordance with laws which are similar in scope and effect to those enacted in the US, the UK and other Western democracies.
Cue for agitators to enter the picture and claim this was a criminal conspiracy by the Lod municipality to discriminate against the Arab citizens of the town.
City Hall Chief Meir Nitzan issued a statement in March saying, “I’m sorry that extremist groups are inflaming the situation ... Anyone who thinks that protest actions of this sort will cause us to back down from our positions is mistaken.”
Nitzan said he is not willing to accept and vowed to demolish any new illegal construction. Under the Lod municipality’s policy, the city only destroys structures in which no one is residing.
Once again anti-Israel agitators are taking advantage of Israel's democracy to try and make what is a local planning issue which has been through the courts into one of discrimination against Arabs.
BTW for those simple folk who think that by trying to attach the nom de plume of previous bloggers to me they will force me to reveal my identity dream on.
For the record I am none of those legion of bloggers who the hapless Otoway, Watchful assinine or billious fixated Millis seem to think I am.

COMMENTS

KatieCarslake

2 May, 2011 - 09:32

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How many homes have been bulldozed in the UK in the last year ? Or last ten years ? Or last 50 years ?

StevenKalka

3 May, 2011 - 13:00

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You cannot compare the housing situation in the UK and Israel. Israel acquired territory fighting defensive wars, and in that new territory imposed building safety codes appropriate for a western country. We need to know in how many cases the Arabs built houses not up to Israeli standards.
This is no small matter. An earthquake that might kill thousands in a country like Turkey may only kill dozens in California because of earthquake resistant construction. This is not a small matter.
We need to review Israeli land planning rules and regulations before passing judgement. Just because Arabs are disproportionately effected doesn't automatically make the rules wrong.

Advis3r

3 May, 2011 - 13:43

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Carslake how many Britons have been killed in the UK by suicide bombers in the past ten years compared with Israel? How many rockets have been fired on Norwich in the past ten years compared with Sderot? What is your point?

JonOtway

3 May, 2011 - 13:52

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This has precisely what to do with the demolition of peoples homes ? You surely are not implying that Israel indulges in the highly illegal practice of collective punishment ?

JonOtway

3 May, 2011 - 13:57

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Oh yeah I forgot about those damn earthquakes. Thank you

Watchful Iris

3 May, 2011 - 14:20

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I suppose if they hung around in their houses, they would be considered "suicide demolitionees".

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