Charish residents are planning to fight a government decision to build 10,000 units for the chareidi sector in their municipality, marked to become the next major chareidi city.

Residents are angered over what they view as a unilateral decision of the Housing Ministry, one that does not consider their way of life or future plans. Housing Minister Ze’ev Boim is working closely with UTJ MK Rabbi Meir Porush, and they hope to soon begin selling the first 3,000 units. Charish is located near Nachal I’ron (Wadi Ara), in proximity to Highway 6 (Yitzchak Rabin Highway).

According to Yoram Ziv, one of leaders of the residents opposing the plan, he accuses the Housing Ministry over recent years of abandoning the area, obviously setting the stage for the chareidi plan. Residents explain that acting City Mayor Nissim Dahan was appointed by the Interior Ministry, and he in no way reflects the opinion of the municipality’s residents.

The opponents, numbering over 1,000 residents, are planning to take their case to the Supreme Court. Opponents to the plan explain that the municipality is home to Arabs, immigrants from Caucasia and religious Jews as well; emphasizing the plan to drop chareidi Jews in the area is out of character with the current realities.

Opponents are also busy lining up a candidate to compete against Nissim Dahan in the local elections.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)