Planned Housing Amendment Hailed as Boon, Not Death Blow, to Rural Settlements

A planned amendment to Israel's national outline plan, known as Amendment 5 to Outline Plan 35, is being presented as a significant benefit to rural settlements, contrary to claims that it would be a "death blow." The amendment aims to revise Table 2, which previously imposed strict limits on the growth of rural communities. The Shilo Forum, an organization involved in advocating for the changes, stated that the current limitations were absurd and prevented natural growth, similar to policies for non-Jewish settlements. While the initial goal was to abolish Table 2 entirely, the planning system replaced it with a new mechanism. The Shilo Forum acknowledges that the outcome is not exactly what they had hoped for after a four-year process, but insists it is far from detrimental.

The Kibbutz Movement described the amendment as a "dramatic opportunity to remove growth barriers," enabling kibbutzim and settlements to plan for multiple generations and accommodate new families. The current Table 2 capped housing units at 300, 350, 400, and 500. Amendment 5 effectively removes these caps, automatically raising the limit to 700 units for all settlements. In the Galilee and Negev regions, this can be extended to 1,000 units with district committee approval, and up to 1,400 with national planning council approval. This change aligns with a previous amendment that expanded the use of the acceptance committee mechanism to 700 families, nearly doubling the absorption potential for many settlements.

Furthermore, the amendment introduces more standardized planning documents and criteria, providing clarity for settlements on what is required for expansion. The demand for denser construction, known as 'infill,' which involves maximizing open space within existing boundaries before expanding, is a long-standing planning tool. Amendment 5 also allows for an immediate addition of 40 dunams for construction in the Galilee and Negev. The planning institutions' approach has shifted, recognizing that significant increases in family numbers necessitate additional land allocation. The demand for increased density, with Amendment 5 proposing three units per dunam, is seen as an improvement by most regional council heads, despite some concerns about the number of small apartments required.

While acknowledging that Amendment 5 is not perfect and could be improved, the Shilo Forum urges against discarding it. They view it as progress rather than a setback, advocating for an evolutionary approach to change. The organization believes the fundamental issue lies with Outline Plan 35 itself, which they argue promotes the reduction of rural settlement and population concentration in cities. They propose replacing Outline Plan 35 with a new national outline plan to fundamentally alter Israel's planning and land policy, emphasizing the importance of settlement for strengthening borders and developing the Negev and Galilee.