The settlement of Neriyah. October 2010
November 13, 2010 | According to Peace Now’s count, since the end of the freeze in September 26th, the settlers managed to start to build 1,629 housing units, and even to dig the foundations for 1,116 of them. The works started in 63 settlements, 46 of them east the Separation Barrier and 17 on the western side of it.
In all of year 2009, according to the Israeli CBS data, the works on 1,888 new housing units have started. Had the construction continued at the same speed without the Freeze, there would have been started 1,574 units during the 10 months of the freeze. In the 6 weeks since the end of the freeze, the settlers managed to start a similar number of units.
Peace Now: “it turns out that the Settlement Freeze was no more than a 10 months delay in the construction, and the settlers managed to fill-in the gap very fast. The Government of Israel must renew the Freeze in a way that will stop all settlement activity including the projects that started in the last few weeks, until there is a final agreement between the Palestinians and Israel regarding the borders and the future of the settlements”.
Examples:
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No. of Foundations
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Construction Starts
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Settlement
|
|
40
|
76
|
Kedumim
|
|
44
|
60
|
Revava
|
|
24
|
42
|
Karmei Zur
|
|
23
|
45
|
Nili
|
|
36
|
36
|
Mitzpe Yericho
|
|
32
|
32
|
Tekoa
|
|
30
|
30
|
Nerya (Talmon B)
|
|
18
|
28
|
Shvut Rachel (Shilo)
|
|
18
|
27
|
Kochav Yaacov
|
For the full list
Construction is as expected
Peace Now conducted many field trips and aerial tours in the last few weeks in order to be able to estimate the number of new construction starts in the settlements. As expected, without an official settlement freeze the settlers started to renew the construction in those places where the work was stopped because of the moratorium, and to start new projects as well.
The settlement of Kedumim. October 2010
The Race for the foundations
It seems that the effort by the settlers is to get to dig the foundations of the buildings as fast as possible, assuming that when there's another moratorium it will be based on the same criteria of the previous one: structures that already have foundations – could be completed; Structures that don't, were stopped according to the freeze order. This is why the settlers are in a kind of a race to dig the foundations as fast as possible even if the infrastructure (the swage systems, roads, electricity etc.) is not completed yet.
How to count construction - Foundations vs. Projects
There are two main ways to count the construction in the settlements. One is to count how many foundations have been dug – this number should be relevant in case of renewal of the settlement moratorium with the same criteria as the previous moratorium. The number of units that will have had their foundations dug by the time a new moratorium is announced will be able to be completed, built and settled by settlers. Those who didn't dig the foundations will be stopped.
The second way is to count the total number of units that are being built in the project, including those that still don't have foundations but the works of leveling the ground and preparing the lots and infrastructure did start. This number is significant because the settlers are working fast and every day they dig more foundations in the projects. The number of foundations that Peace Now saw in one moment could be much higher few days later depends on the stage of the project.
Construction in Isolated settlements
Most of the construction today is taking place in the settlements that are more isolated, further deep in the West Bank and more ideological. The reason for the rise in the construction in the more isolated settlements as opposed to the bigger settlements that are closer to Israel is mainly because the Government of Israel has not approved many new projects in the last few years. In the bigger, closer to Israel settlements the construction is mainly initiated by the government and most of the construction must be approved by the Minister of Defense before it can start. As far as Peace Now knows, the Netanyahu government approved the construction of some 630 housing units (another 1,500 units were approved by Minister Barak during the year 2008 before the Netanyahu government was established). Most of those units are currently under construction and there are not too many units left in the already approved projects.
However, in most of the isolated settlements, the settlers do not need another approval by the government, and they can build thousands (approx. 13,000) of units based on old approvals given in the past. Most of the construction we see today is based on very old approvals
Israel's top entertainment show covered our conference too! Watch this cute item (with English Subtitles): Link