The Environmental Protection Ministry, the Society for the Protection of Nature and the Health Ministry have submitted to the National Council for Planning and Building a petition against the approved expansion of Kfar Vradim in the country's north. The groups are jointly appealing a decision made two months ago to extend Kfar Vradim on over 140 hectares of open space and 27 hectares of already tilled land, according to SPNI. An employment and commercial center is likely to fill about 22.5 hectares of this space, the groups said.
"We believe that there is no real rationale for the expansion of Kfar Vradim, certainly not in the field of employment and industry," the offices wrote in their appeal, charging that the National Council needs to do a widespread assessment of the region to find the best economic, social and environmental solution. "It is necessary to cancel the plan and hold a broad discussion on the alternatives of land use in open space, while examining all the programs and the need for saturation of building and maintenance of open spaces within and outside the urban fabric."