Exclusive: The Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Council approved for deposit on Wednesday a plan to construct 158 new housing units in the community of Maskiyot in the Jordan Valley. The plan is expected to more than double the size of the community.
Maskiyot was established as a Nahal military outpost in 1988, abandoned several years later, and reestablished in 2004. After decades of consolidation and development, the new plan is expected to enable the community’s expansion, further growth, and the absorption of hundreds of new residents.
“After decades of strengthening the community, this zoning plan represents major news that will allow for growth, development, and the absorption of hundreds of new residents," the office of Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich said.
Smotrich welcomed the move, saying: “We are continuing to build the Land of Israel with deeds, not just words. The community of Maskiyot, which has experienced many ups and downs over the past decades, is now on the path toward a tremendous construction boom. This is great news for the community and very important news for strengthening the Jordan Valley."
He added: “While [Gadi] Eisenkot and Yair Golan would uproot communities and establish a Palestinian state, we are strengthening Jewish communities and reinforcing our hold on all parts of our homeland. We express our thanks to the Civil Administration and the Settlement Administration for leading these processes."