70 years after November 29th and there is talk of the establishment of a new city in Shomron.

A committee appointed by the director-general of the Interior Ministry and appointed for the first six months of the year has decided to establish a new city in West Shomron, which will include the settlements of Eitz Ephraim, Shaare Tikva, Oranit and Elkana. This will permit construction on the land between them, which to date has not been possible.

The committee published its recommendations on Wednesday 11 Kislev, and sent them to the mayors. According to the committee’s report: “The committee seriously considered its recommendation and decided unanimously to act to unify the municipalities of Oranit, Elkana, Shaare Tikva and Eitz Ephraim.” According to estimates, the Ministry of Finance is expected to invest more than NIS 120 million in order to enable the new city to grow rapidly.

It is noted in the past, similar suggestions, to unite communities, were defeated, in part due to the objections of residents. The plans that surrounded that unity were never actualized.

The Committee notes in the report that the move is expected to save large sums of money to the state coffers, since the four authorities, which currently have a total population of about 22,000, are forced to maintain four different systems of services for residents while they can be reduced to one system. The authorities in question are not large and in order to manage their affairs they are required to source from the state budget. It seems to the committee members that reducing and consolidating roles will lead to a better utilization of the government budget at this point.”

This is an event that is no less historic since there has not been a city in Shomron for 20 years. The last and only city to be established is Ariel. Which is currently considered the most powerful city in Yehuda and Shomron, including a university, the mall’s cultural center, and the Faculty of Medicine is currently being built, which will enable planning and development in the Shar Hashomron area to be carried out more efficiently and quickly. The new city is expected to be significant and important close to the Green Line and only a 5-minute drive from Highway 6 .”

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein responded by saying: “I welcome the recommendations of the committee to establish a city in Shomron, the heart of the State of Israel, a city that is located in the center of the country and will serve as a solution for young couples and housing reformers. This is 20 years since a city in Yehuda and Shomron was declared a city and I would like to congratulate you on that. ”

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotevely responded to the news and said that the unification of the four settlements in Samaria and their transformation into a city is a correct and necessary step, and is a clear and clear statement to the world: The settlement is growing stronger and stronger. Money for the state on the one hand and on the other will strengthen Yehuda and Shomron, and every additional city in Yehuda and Shomron is an important additional force. Minister Aryeh Deri deserves all the praise for the important step. ”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)