Ariel Atias
Ariel AtiasFlash 90

Housing Minister Ariel Atias announced on Wednesday that his ministry will market land for the purpose of building 551 new housing units in Judea and Samaria (Yehuda and Shomron).

According to Atias’ announcement, 117 units will be marketed in Ariel, 92 housing units in Ma'aleh Adumim, 144 housing units in Adam, 114 units in Efrat, and 84 units in Kiryat Arba. The 551 housing units in Judea and Samaria will be marketed in addition to the 300 units that have already been announced for Beit El.

The agreement on the marketing of the land was reached in a conversation on Wednesday between Atias and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Attias welcomed the marketing and said, “Increasing the supply of land helps young couples. Construction in Judea and Samaria strengthens the settlement enterprise. 30 apartments will be evacuated, but 850 new units will be built instead. Under the circumstances it is a proper solution.”

The announcement came several hours after the Knesset rejected a bill aimed at circumventing a court order to destroy five residential units in the Ulpana neighborhood in Beit El and expel their 30 families.

The vote was 22 for the bill and 69 against. Absent from the vote were all of the ministers and deputy ministers who vowed to test Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s ultimatum to vote against the bill or be fired.

Among those who left the Knesset before the vote were Jewish Home leader Daniel Hershkowitz and Likud minister Yuli Edelstein and deputy minister Ayoub Kara.