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Nearly all land in Israel – more than 90 percent – is state-owned and has been since the days of the pre-state British Mandate in Palestine. Releasing land for new housing construction is a lengthy process, requiring the approval of the Israel Lands Administration, followed by review by local and regional building councils and environmental impact committees.5f:{"position":2,"content":"$60"} 61:{"position":3,"content":"The new law, which now enters an 18 month “experimental” period, after which it may be reconsidered, overrides the current system by establishing six regional committees, each comprising nine members, seven of whom will represent government ministries and two will represent non-governmental organizations."} 62:{"position":4,"content":"Approval by a regional committee can fast-track new housing projects by granting them dispensation from going through the standard construction review process. Only residential housing projects may be considered by the new regional committees; commercial projects will not be eligible for their review."} 63:{"position":5,"content":"The committees have been granted authority to award tenders and to require tender winners to agree to predetermined conditions, possibly including a requirement that a given percentage of new housing units be reserved for rental only. Approval by a regional committee cannot exempt a proposed project from going through a public hearing stage, which is normally the last stage prior to final approval. Significantly, final authority over the new regional committees and their decisions is vested in the Prime Minister, in contrast to the Interior Minister, who

The Danger of the Fast Track

"Clearly, this is a potential invitation to very bad abuse" – Prof. Joseph Zeira