The Cabinet has re-approved a plan to tear down and rebuild 11 neighborhoods and streets in six different cities.  The vote was held during the Sunday morning government meeting, at the behest of Housing Minister Ze'ev Boim  (Kadima).



The name of the plan - Pinui-Binui (Eviction-Construction) - is reminiscent of the official name of the Disengagement/expulsion plan from Gush Katif and northern Shomron, which was Pinui-Pitzui (Eviction-Compensation).



The areas to be rebuilt are:



* The Aleph East and Bet neighborhoods in Be'er Sheva

* Henkin St., Holon

* Pinsker St., Nahariya

* HaRav Kook St. and Ramat Herzl in Netanya

* Binyamin and Yaakov Streets and Beit HaPoalim in Rehovot

* Harash and Oman Streets in Tel Aviv



The main goal of these urban renewal plans is to add housing in the areas in question, the proposal states. In addition, the areas will be revived, the infrastructures will be utilized more efficiently, and open areas will be maintained.



Despite the vote, the plans are not expected to get off the ground any time soon.  The plans for the 11 areas noted above, have been around for several years - and the Cabinet vote merely extended the time in which they are to be carried out.  



Construction and Housing Ministry spokesman Kobi Bleich explained, "The plans were originally proposed in 1999, and they were to be completed within six years.  This was not done, and the government was asked to approve an extension, which it did."



The Pinui-Binui plans include many other areas in Israel as well.  These include streets and neighborhoods in Ashdod, Bnei Brak, Jerusalem (Beit Yisrael, the southern part of Derekh Hevron, and more), Haifa, Tiberias, and more - for a total of 109 projects.  At present, only one is underway - on Six Days St. in Kfar Saba.



Asked why the projects are taking so long, Bleich said, "It's a combination of Housing Ministry guidelines and something called democracy.  The procedure for approving such plans is long and complex ,delete comma and allows for parties who feel they will be harmed to express their objections.  Generally, the residents themselves like the plans, but objections are sometimes raised by various environmental groups or residents who live nearby."



"We are hopeful that the plans will be expedited as quickly as possible," Bleich concluded.