Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Herzog was hosted
by Jerusalem Mayor Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky and together the two
toured various neighborhoods in the city.
Minister Herzog said he intends to place Jerusalem at the top
of his ministry's list of priorities. "Jerusalem must be
strengthened and its residents must be provided optimal
conditions to improve their status," he said.
The issue requires careful thought, he added, placing
emphasis on developing the downtown area, attending to weak
segments of the population, development of infrastructures
and equalizing conditions between East and West Jerusalem, he
added. "Along with meetings I have been holding with the
Prime Minister and the Finance Minister on the future of the
city, the heads of the ministry I direct are working to
accelerate taking care of Jerusalem."
Rabbi Lupoliansky said as part of efforts to reduce out-
migration from the city, extra attention should be focused on
housing for those coming to live in Jerusalem. "Young couples
wanting to purchase apartments in Jerusalem should be granted
incentives," said the Mayor. "Attention must also be paid to
the residents of East Jerusalem in order to create
affirmative action and to allow them decent living quarters
with infrastructures fit for the year 2000."
After the tour, arrangements were made to hold a joint
meeting to be attended by the respective directors-general of
the Housing Ministry and the Jerusalem Municipality to
evaluate the possibilities of ministry assistance on pressing
issues such as the lack of public housing, urban renewal,
clearing areas for construction projects, rehabilitating
neighborhoods, developing infrastructures in East Jerusalem,
and more.
