This afternoon, the Knesset approved Amendment 109 of the Planning and Building Law by a margin of 44 to 33.
The Law is expected to bring reforms in enforcement against the widespread phenomenon of illegal building.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said that the Law will lead to a historic level of equality. “The government which I head has invested, and continues to invest more than any other [previous] government in the Arab sector in order to close the existing gaps - in education, wages, culture, as well as health."
"Israeli Arabs want to be a part of the State of Israel, they want to be a part of the prosperity of Israel’s economy, they want to be a part of the future of the State of Israel, of all the citizens of Israel, and therefore we are investing like no government before us has done. We want the integration of the Arab public into the State of Israel, but that also means integrating with the laws of the State of Israel.”
“We are making a historic 'repair' today that enables equal enforcement of building laws. We are doing this not only with respect to the Arab sector, but are increasing enforcement in all parts of the land and for all citizens of the country,” he asserted.
“One state, one law, one enforcement. This is what we did today, and I thank you for the passage of this important law,” the Prime Minister concluded.
The Regavim organization, which deals with land ownership issues and works to fight illegal building in Israel, said in response that “this is one of the most important laws passed by the Knesset in recent years. It is likely to bring about a revolution in the struggle of enforcement authorities against illegal building, which has been a ‘state plague’ for decades.”
“We hope that law enforcement authorities will utilize the tools granted them by the Knesset today, actively and wisely, strengthening the sovereignty of the State of Israel over all its land - especially in the Negev and Galilee,” the organization said.