Minister Orit Strock Blocks Major Expansion Plan for Jadida-Makr

Israeli Minister Orit Strock has reportedly thwarted a significant urban development plan for the Arab town of Jadida-Makr, located near Acre. The plan aimed to expand the town's capacity from its current 20,000 residents to accommodate 120,000.

During a planning committee meeting, a representative appointed by Strock, whose ministry holds a permanent seat on regional planning committees due to coalition agreements, questioned the justification for such a massive expansion. The representative specifically asked for details on the expected population growth, noting that the plan for thousands of housing units did not align with natural growth but suggested an artificial increase.

Committee members responded that Jadida-Makr is considered a "receiving locality," meaning it experiences positive migration from other areas, necessitating preparations for additional population. However, Strock's representative then requested a list of the towns from which new residents originate. The stated purpose was to assess whether future planning in those "source localities" needed reduction due to negative migration, a question that left the committee members unable to respond.

The meeting concluded without a vote or approval of the plan, and no new date has been set for its reconsideration. This incident is presented as one example of how Strock has utilized her representative's influence on planning committees, a power derived from coalition agreements. Strock's party, Religious Zionism, has previously indicated intentions to seek full control over the Planning Administration and the Israel Land Authority in future coalition negotiations.