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Failure to complete them properly leaves vital issues unaddressed. Quality of life deteriorates. Unregulated building fails to keep up.
Jewish areas get preferential treatment. Arab ones function largely on their own, hit or miss, including running afoul of zoning requirements.
As a result, ad hoc plans haven't solved Arab problems. Systemic ones exist. They include unrealistic estimates of housing needs relative to population size and growth.
Arab citizens are marginalized and neglected. Dozens of their communities in Israel's North, Central, Haifa and Jerusalem districts have no approved plans. In total, areas without plans include over half the Arab population.
In preparing their report, Bimkom and ACAP conducted comparisons of Arab and Jewish areas having similar characteristics. They include population and area size, local government similarities, and other factors.
The study examined the amount of land allocated in outline plans per locality. Attention was paid to future residential development, industry and employment.
Findings showed population projections for Jewish areas greatly exaggerated. Plans prioritized them generously. They're given more land, funding, and allocations for infrastructure, schools, medical facilities, open areas, and other needs.
In addition, industrial and employment considerations got much greater attention. In contrast, Arab communities were deprived.
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