The Supreme Planning Council of Judea and Samaria approved
the City Construction Plan for the Heftzibah and Green Park
neighborhoods in Modi'in Illit's Mattityahu East.
Before the plan was approved, a protracted meeting was held
between Modi'in Illit Councilman Rabbi Yitzchok Hanau and
architect Shlomo Moshkovitz, council chairman and director of
the Central Planning Bureau of Judea and Samaria, during
which they hammered out various issues and solutions to
secure approval for the plan, including provisions for a
temporary access road to the neighborhood.
A letter of objection was presented to the Supreme Planning
Committee by Atty. Michael Sephard, representing leftist
organization Shalom Achshav (Peace Now), which filed a court
petition containing various claims against the City
Construction Plan. Shalom Achshav focused on the argument
that in order to approve a temporary road, the plan must be
resubmitted despite the unambiguous High Court decision one
week ago. By doing so Atty. Sephard was seeking a way to
submit further objections and to delay approval of the plan
by several months.
The Peace Now attorney also claimed the "enclaves" in the
neighborhood had not been adequately fenced off. The Council
rejected Sephard's arguments and its legal advisor provided
reasons why his reservations should be dismissed.
Once the City Construction Plan has been publicized for 15
days the temporary road can be paved and a request can be
submitted to the High Court to rescind the court order
forbidding construction and residential use of the
neighborhood.
During the last court hearing the judges asked both parties
to conclude their arguments within 90 days and the court is
expected to honor the request to allow apartment buyers to
take up residency.
The Supreme Planning Council discussed the request by Modi'in
Illit Councilman Rabbi Yitzchok Hanau to Mr. Nachum Gabbai,
traffic commissioner in Judea and Samaria, to allow the
construction of the temporary road, which has a sidewalk,
lighting and is wide enough to accommodate buses. The Council
asked Mr. Gabbai to provide professional directives on how to
execute the plan to lay the road.
