Nazareth Illit officials are formulating a new plan to settle
some 10,000 chareidim in the city. The municipality is hoping
to allocate land in the city's Har Yonah Gimmel area for the
construction of thousands of housing units for the chareidi
sector.
Mayor Shimon Gapso, who replaced the previous mayor of
several decades, is calling on the government to assist with
the new plan as part of efforts to increase the number of
Jewish residents in the city to counter the Arab population,
which currently stands at 12 percent, not including those
Arabs who moved to the city but have not updated their
address.
Gapso also says that chareidim constitute a high-caliber
population group and the local population does not object to
an increased chareidi and religious presence.
Apartment prices have dropped substantially in Nazareth Illit
and the municipality is making great efforts to bring Jews
into the city, pledging to assist new residents.
The municipality is also trying to draw immigrants, including
immigrants from Ethiopia and the FSU.
