The Patriarch Jacob had to toil for seven years to get a wife. An average wage-earner in Israel must work seven years to afford to purchase an apartment, a senior official of the government housing company told the Knesset’s Economic Committee yesterday.
According to Itamar Gelem, this situation stems from a lack of foresight by the government during the years 1975-77. He said there were far too few housing starts in those years and urged the government to speed up the construction of housing for young couples increases by IL 60,000 ($3000) every six months. The MKs were warned that the widening gap between the price of housing and what young couples can afford could lead to a revival of the Black Panther movement. The Black Panthers, mainly Jerusalem slum dwellers, launched anti-government demonstrations in 1971 when the cost of housing rose at a similar rate.
Housing Minister Gideon Patt told the committee that his ministry is currently building about 3000 new units that will be leased to young couples for five years at low rent with the option to purchase.
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