There has been a great deal of discussion regarding different areas of Israel after the cabinet on Sunday released its new national priority map which includes many communities throughout Yehuda and Shomron. Chareidim were angered with the new map, which excludes the chareidi city of Betar Illit. Leftists are angered because of the inclusion of so many yishuvim, communities the left-wing is confident will be handed over to the PA (Palestinian Authority) in a final status agreement.

In the shadow of the new national priority map the Knesset released a document that shows negative migration to the north and south of the country while Yehuda and Shomron 11% population growth. The document was presented to the Knesset Finance Committee during state budget discussions, addressing Housing Ministry budgeting and not the national priority map.

The document reveals that from 2001 to 2010 there was a negative migration rate of over 30,000 residents leaving the northern areas and over 25,000 leaving the south. Critics of the government point out that despite the distress in those areas the national priority map does not address the need to encourage citizens to head to the north or south of Israel.

During this same period, almost 39,000 new residents set up their homes in Yehuda and Shomron, representing an 11% growth. The document shows negative migration in Yerushalayim and Tel Aviv as well. The Gush Dan area to the exclusion of Tel Aviv itself shows an increase in population during the same period.

In defense of the national priority map, MK (Bayit Yehudi) Nissim Slomiansky, who chairs the Knesset Finance Committee insists the decisions were made by evaluating which committees meet the criteria and not by political preference as some wish to intimate.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)