Israel's ultra-Orthodox reject housing in new Negev town
Ultra-Orthodox leaders search for a solution to the housing crisis in the sector, but they are not in favor of the solution proposed by the government to establish a new ultra-Orthodox town in the Negev region.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said March 13 that the government will push forward the establishment of the ultra-Orthodox town of Kasif in the south of the country. According to the plans, at the first stage, the ultra-Orthodox city will include no fewer than 20,000 housing units and will be built next to the Bedouin city of Kseifa. The government can thus allegedly kill two birds with one stone: achieve a solution to the terrible housing crisis among the ultra-Orthodox, and put a stop to the Bedouin expansion in the south by means of establishing a Jewish city that will end illegal settlements now happening on government land.
Truth be told, the plan has been on the ropes for several years now. The Housing Ministry has invested close to 30 million shekels in planning the city since the government first decided on its construction in 2007, but none of the governments since have arrived at the implementation phase.
