Building Crimes

To receive a building permit in Israel is an extremely complex bureaucratic ordeal requiring hundreds of signatures from various authorities. During my time serving on vaadot (councils) that deliberated and approved projects, I often struggled to fully understand what was being discussed.

Recently, the Land Authority concluded an extensive investigation into several buildings and is now prosecuting fifteen former members of the Bnei Brak city councils, two former City Engineers, and multiple architects and directors from the Register Department. They stand accused of a serious crime: issuing permits for illegal construction projects, including two high-rise apartment buildings erected on public land. This is being handled as a criminal prosecution, with the physical existence of these buildings serving as tangible evidence of the wrongdoing. Money changing hands has not been mentioned. 

I never imagined that participating in those soporific proceedings could land someone in jail.

Imprisoning both current and former City Engineers, alongside numerous past members of the vaadot, will certainly send a powerful message. The inevitable consequence will be municipal bureaucrats becoming even more reluctant to sign documents. This heightened caution will create additional obstacles to obtaining permits, making it substantially more difficult to advance not only my construction projects but everyone else's as well.