Monday, April 04, 2011

What "Illegal" Really Means

The Haaretz line on the supposed "illegality" of Jewish construction in the Jewish national home:

It should be noted, that any construction is deemed illegal in the absence of development plans such as these, a regulation which the state has been more stringent in upholding in recent years.

Did you read that carefully?

"Illegal" in my book is when I have done something completely wrong against a penal code.  But whay happens here, is that actually, I (that is, those who build those "illegal" homes") really haven't done anything wrong.

I filled out forms, registered engineer plans, infrastructure plans, architects' plans, checed ownership and title deeds, etc. etc., and then the clerk (ultimately, in this case, the Minister of Defense or someone who represents him) just doesn't do anything.  They won't append signatures, won't stamp their approval.  It's as if they've gone out for coffee.

In the meantime, knowing that there is no technical infraction, we go ahead and build.  In many cases, one signature, like in the case of the HaYovel neighborhood in Eli, is all that is needed.

"Illegal"?  We?  No, those who due to political considerations seek to thwart Jewish rights.

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