Coalition head MK Miki Zohar (Likud) has welcomed today’s announcement that a tender has been issued for the building of over a thousand housing units in the Jerusalem suburb of Givat Hamatos.
“Finally, I am able to reveal that prior to the last national elections, the Prime Minister promised me that he would see that a tender was issued for apartments in Givat Hamatos,” Zohar said.
Zohar noted the significance of building in this specific area, stating that, “This neighborhood is of supreme strategic importance, as it is located between Beit Safafa and the Hebron Road, and building here is vital in order to achieve continuity between the Jewish neighborhoods of Talpiyot and Gilo.
“This morning, we finally heard the good news that the Israel Lands Authority has issued a tender for 1,257 housing units in this area,” he continued. “According to the plans, a total of 2,600 units will be built there during the first stage of construction.”
He added that, “Until recently, construction plans for Givat Hamatos were frozen due to the sensitivity of the area in question and the opposition of the international community to construction over the ‘Green Line.’ However, the current period presents us with a window of opportunity – soon to close – for strengthening our hold on the Land of Israel, and I am confident that our great friend, President Trump, along with the Netanyahu government, will understand how best to utilize this time to make progress on significant issues.”
Givat Hamatos is located to the south-east of Jerusalem. Plans for construction in the neighborhood had been put on ice for years. Now that the tenders have finally been issued, the final date for submissions is January 25, just a few days after the expected inauguration of Joe Biden as the next President of the United States of America.