Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, as usual, openly displayed his racism by pressuring the Minister of Construction and Housing to reverse his decision to renew the Land Administration’s directive that prioritizes local residents in tenders for land allocation in their towns in the north. Smotrich argued that this priority benefits Arabs at the expense of reserve soldiers. The directive, however, was originally designed to address the housing crisis in Arab society, making it a corrective measure rather than a preferential policy. Smotrich ultimately succeeded in pressuring the Minister to block the renewal of this directive on Monday.
In its initial response to this incitement by Smotrich, the Mossawa Center stated that Arab families would be forced to purchase homes in Jewish and mixed towns. Mossawa Center also declared that it would counter Smotrich's actions by encouraging Arab families to move to towns such as Karmiel, Afula, Harish, Misgav, and Nof HaGalil.
The Mossawa Center sent a letter to the Minister of Construction and Housing, Yitzhak Goldknopf, urging him not to withdraw the extension of the Land Administration’s temporary directive on land allocation for local residents in Arab villages, which has not been renewed since 2022.
The letter stated:
“Over the past years, priority has been given to allocating state land in Arab villages to local residents who do not own a home. As is well known, Arab villages have suffered from a housing shortage for decades, and this crisis continues to worsen. Due to the barriers to obtaining housing permits, no fewer than 13,000 housing units are required annually. Meanwhile, thousands of homes remain unlicensed due to ongoing neglect, leaving young couples with no viable alternatives. According to data from the Israel Land Administration and the Central Bureau of Statistics (2016–2019), the government has marketed only 2,406 units in Arab towns during this period. The Arab community requires the planning and allocation of no fewer than 60,000 housing units.”
The Mossawa Center holds Finance Minister Smotrich responsible for the nationwide rise in housing prices, including in the Galilee and Naqab (Negev), and inciting against housing solutions for the Arab community. This incitement is an attempt to deflect criticism from Smotrich’s economic policies, which aim to increase land prices within the Green Line while expanding settlements in the West Bank.
Smotrich’s racist and dangerous proposals must be ignored as they would lead to the forced displacement of hundreds of young Arab couples to Jewish and mixed towns and cities. Thousands of young couples are already leaving Arab villages for towns such as Karmiel, Afula, Nof HaGalil, Nahariya, Acre, and Harish.
