The Ministerial Committee for Legislation decided on Sunday evening to temporarily freeze a proposed bill to compensate those harmed by the construction freeze in Judea/Samaria. The construction freeze was opposed last November, under American pressure to thus "pave the way" for negotiations with the PA - which the PA has still refused to resume.
The committee decided to give the government two weeks, within which period it will stipulate standards for compensation. If the two-week deadline is not met, however, the coalition will not object to legislation proposed by individual MKs for the provision of compensation.
Among those who are hurt by the ten-month freeze on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria are contractors, purchasers, real estate agents, and local town councils.
The criteria by which compensation is to be given will be set by a committee comprising government office representatives, working together with the bill’s sponsors, including MKs Danny Danon (Likud) and Uri Ariel (National Union).
MK Uri Ariel
Ariel, whose party is not a member of the Likud-run government coalition, said, “Though I regret the fact that the bill has not already received the support of the coalition – which, after all, is responsible for the freeze and its consequences – I am gratified that the government has committed itself to set criteria within two weeks. I plan to follow the process closely and make sure that the criteria are appropriate.”
MK Danny Danon
Danon said, “This farce must be ended as quickly as possible. With every passing day, the bank accounts of many families absorb more losses. The government has 14 days to correct the Cabinet decision, which dealt only with the political ramifications of the freeze and not how it affects the citizens.”
The freeze was imposed over two and a half months ago, and the struggle to set criteria has been ongoing almost since then. The government and Defense Ministry did not fulfill their promise to deal with the issue, saying that they were waiting for people to apply for compensation. MKs of the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee responded that citizens could not know where or how to apply until the framework was set in place.