There's a housing crisis in Israel because too much of the country's scant resources have been squandered on the settlements in the occupied territories. For the past 44 years, this has been done to appease the fascists and the zealots. As long as these were happy, Israeli governments of all stripes (that is, right wing and even more right wing), couldn't care less about the majority of tax payers.
But now the chickens are coming home to roost. Israel is having its own Tahrir Square moment. Prices are on the rise - reaching and in some cases passing the UK's - while middle-class salaries are stagnant. According to the Israeli central bureau of statistics, the average Israeli salary is about 8,700 shekels a month - that's about £1,560. In the UK, it's about £2,200 a month. And let's not forget that Israeli taxes are higher than the UK's.
Just think of the difference that could be made if Israel had the sense to develop the Negev. Hell, there's even enough capacity for those settlers wanting to return from the occupied West Bank to Israel. And they'd no doubt have a lot of compensation money to spend in the Negev or Galil. So, double bonus.
Airports, for instance, are magnets for industry and services.
Instead of having Israel's main airport, Ben-Gurion, in the crowded area near Tel Aviv - an accident waiting to happen, according to Israel's own aviation authority - build it in the wide-open spaces near Beersheba. Why not develop Hatzerim, Nevatim or Ramon Air Force bases?
Build high-speed rail and road links to north and south - there's no reason why it should take more than an hour to Tel Aviv (comparable to the Piccadilly line link to Heathrow) or 90 minutes or less to Eilat. This will bring people who will need housing, services etc.
Develop the Galil, too, so that people will want to move there, rather than staying on the coastal plain. Hawve tax incentives for high-tech industries to move away from Kiryat Atidim, in Tel Aviv, or North Raanana Junction. It's a better investment than yeshivot, since those who work in high-tech pay taxes and will want to stay in Israel rather than seek the passports of the lands of their ancestors.
It is not beyond the wit of Israelis to restart building for the future, instead of clinging to some ancient notion about rocks and dust.
The settlements have cost Israel far too much, in shekels, in goodwill and most importantly in morality.
There's a housing crisis in Israel because too much of the country's scant resources have been squandered on the settlements in the occupied territories. For the past 44 years, this has been done to appease the fascists and the zealots. As long as these were happy, Israeli governments of all stripes (that is, right wing and even more right wing), couldn't care less about the majority of tax payers.
But now the chickens are coming home to roost. Israel is having its own Tahrir Square moment. Prices are on the rise - reaching and in some cases passing the UK's - while middle-class salaries are stagnant. According to the Israeli central bureau of statistics, the average Israeli salary is about 8,700 shekels a month - that's about £1,560. In the UK, it's about £2,200 a month. And let's not forget that Israeli taxes are higher than the UK's.
Just think of the difference that could be made if Israel had the sense to develop the Negev. Airports, for instance, are magnets for industry and services.
Instead of having Israel's main airport, Ben-Gurion, in the crowded area near Tel Aviv - an accident waiting to happen, according to Israel's own aviation authority - build it in the wide-open spaces near Beersheba. Why not develop Hatzerim, Nevatim or Ramon Air Force bases?
Build high-speed rail and road links to north and south - there's no reason why it should take more than an hour to Tel Aviv (comparable to the Piccadilly line link to Heathrow) or 90 minutes or less to Eilat. This will bring people who will need housing, services etc.
Develop the Galil, too, so that people will want to move there, rather than staying on the coastal plain. Hawve tax incentives for high-tech industries to move away from Kiryat Atidim, in Tel Aviv, or North Raanana Junction. It's a better investment than yeshivot, since those who work in high-tech pay taxes and will want to stay in Israel rather than seek the passports of the lands of their ancestors.
It is not beyond the wit of Israelis to restart building for the future, instead of clinging to some ancient notion about rocks and dust.
The settlements have cost Israel far too much, in shekels, in goodwill and most importantly in morality.
There's a housing crisis in Israel because too much of the country's scant resources have been squandered on the settlements in the occupied territories. For the past 44 years, this has been done to appease the fascists and the zealots. As long as these were happy, Israeli governments of all stripes (that is, right wing and even more right wing), couldn't care less about the majority of tax payers.
But now the chickens are coming home to roost. Israel is having its own Tahrir Square moment. Prices are on the rise - reaching and in some cases passing the UK's - while middle-class salaries are stagnant. According to the Israeli central bureau of statistics, the average Israeli salary is about 8,700 shekels a month - that's about £1,560. In the UK, it's about £2,200 a month. And let's not forget that Israeli taxes are higher than the UK's.
Just think of the difference that could be made if Israel had the sense to develop the Negev. Airports, for instance, are magnets for industry and services.
Instead of having Israel's main airport, Ben-Gurion, in the crowded area near Tel Aviv - an accident waiting to happen, according to Israel's own aviation authority - build it in the wide-open spaces near Beersheba. Why not develop Hatzerim, Nevatim or Ramon Air Force bases?
Build high-speed rail and road links to north and south - there's no reason why it should take more than an hour to Tel Aviv (comparable to the Piccadilly line link to Heathrow) or 90 minutes or less to Eilat. This will bring people who will need housing, services etc.
Develop the Galil, too, so that people will want to move there, rather than staying on the coastal plain. Hawve tax incentives for high-tech industries to move away from Kiryat Atidim, in Tel Aviv, or North Raanana Junction. It's a better investment than yeshivot, since those who work in high-tech pay taxes and will want to stay in Israel rather than seek the passports of the lands of their ancestors.
It is not beyond the wit of Israelis to restart building for the future, instead of clinging to some ancient notion about rocks and dust.
The settlements have cost Israel far too much, in shekels, in goodwill and most importantly in morality.
You know when the zealots have lost it - they start multiple OCD-like postings in the vain hope that no one will notice how disingenuous they are and how they resort to building straw men.
Send them a message - boycott the settlements