The question of the Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria has been the Israeli discourse theme for decades, and recently raised. Again and again claims regarding the economic costs of settlement in Yesha are media highlighted by its opponents .In our view, settlement in Eretz Israel seen only through economic eyes places 120 years of Zionism in a ridiculous light. It was not "economically correct" to establish the State of Israel or the settlements in the Negev and the Galilee. Furthermore, examination of these claims reveals facts that are not just demagogic, but simply unfounded. There really is no special investment. In the last decade the State of Israel does not invest in Judea and Samaria excessive investments relative to other parts of the country and unfortunately there is a decline in investments in state infrastructure projects and residential communities in Judea and Samaria.
According to data published in Calcalist [a daily business paper] on 30/07/2012, by 2009 government budgets for Judea fell by more than 50% despite the rapid growth of population in Yesha which stands at 5% per year (more than 2-fold average increase in the State of Israel). Most of the increase is in our young - young couples and children, so every year a growing number of kids that come up gardens and grades. This requires the state to expand educational and welfare institutions according to criteria used by each state. Despite this many classrooms in Yesha are still in temporary buildings and mobile caravans. A large part (sometimes over 50%) of the budget is passed to authorities in Judea and Samaria for education in general to be used for transportation in bulletproof vehicles. The State requires the authorities to use these shuttles for students following the Oslo Agreement and in light of terrorism exacerbated since 2000. We should have those funds?
...Is evacuation of the settlements the move that would save the Israeli economy? Planned cost of the evacuation of Gush Katif was about $ 6 billion, but so far the disengagement budget stands at over 13 billion NIS from the state. Calculating these relative costs for removal of "only" 150,000 residents who are not residents of the blocs in Yesha, will reach the minimum expenditure amount of $ 250 billion - an amount identical to the state budget (security, health, education, economics and more) for a year. Expulsion from their homes is the very opposite moral and just course, but also economic terms such a move would bring enormous national expenditure, and consequently weaken the density and pressure on the cities in the country's center [Gedera-Hadera] together with a sharp rise in house prices. This is certainly not right and not social. How did we come to the Left's moves?...
...Even the leftist policies in recent decades was not cheap at all. Some were failed attempts for peace. How much did the Oslo Accords cost us and the subsequent terrorism? What about the costs of Operations Defensive Shield and Operation Cast Lead? What about defense budgets and protection from Beersheba in the south to Ashdod and Gedera? Some budget was invested in purchasing weapons, injured persons' compensation for the loss of work days and damaged industries? Calculating the economic significance of these errors is almost an impossible task. Settlement in Judea and Samaria is a fact and the residents there are full partners in the burden of life in Israel and therefore entitled to full rights as for all citizens in education, medicine, culture and more. A healthy political culture can sustain sharp dialogue but at the same time, superficial and cynical use of economic data in order to attack the Jewish communities across the Green Line is misleading the public and damaging public discourse.
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