A planned industrial zone in Rechasim earmarked mainly for the employment of ultra-Orthodox women is being promoted by the Interior Ministry, despite the fact that it would violate both regional and national master plans, and despite objections from other ministries.

Rechasim, a Haredi town near Haifa, hopes construction of an industrial zone will increase its tax revenue. The project is slated to cover 150 dunams, of which 60 percent is state land and 40 percent is privately owned.

But the national master plan says the area in question is zoned to combine "the values of nature, agriculture, landscape, settlement and heritage, while creating a green spine running north to south and open areas along the main riverbeds."

The Haifa region master plan defines the area similarly, as "agricultural - open rural landscape." It specifically states that no new industrial zones should be created in it. Instead, the plan calls for existing zones to be expanded. Moreover, the national plan for forests zones part of the area as forest, while the plan for national parks and nature reserves defines part of the land through which the site´s access road would run as a nature reserve.

Still, the Haifa district planning committee tentatively approved construction of the zone at a recent meeting, disregarding objections from the Ministries of Environmental Planning, Transportation, Justice and Health. The committee has heard comments from the public, and must now decide whether to give the plan the final go-ahead.

The matter was brought before the National Planning and Building Council two years ago, because by law, it had to be discussed by that council before the regional committee met about it - since it violates the master plans. At that time, director of the Interior Ministry´s Haifa office, Yosef Mishlav, told the council that Rechasim is collapsing from both an economic and social standpoint, and needs additional sources of jobs and industry. Mishlav even made the unusual decision to appear in person to argue for it; other Interior Ministry officials expressed surprise that Mishlav was working so hard to promote a plan that violates existing master plans.

Rechasim Mayor Dan Cohen told Haaretz that while there is plenty of industry nearby, in Haifa, the krayot and Yokne´am, for example, Rechasim´s Haredi women would not go out to work in the non-Haredi sector, for religious reasons. Thus, he said, "I think it´s necessary to develop places of work for this population."

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the new industrial zone is meant to serve two towns: Rechasim and the Bedouin town of Ibtin. Both are "in serious economic straits and have no sources of income," it said.

While there are other industrial zones nearby, the statement added, they provide no income to Rechasim and Ibtin, as they belong to other towns - which, "needless to say," aren´t interested in sharing. "This industrial zone will supply work to all residents of the area, of all nationalities and genders, including Haredi women from Rechasim." (© Copyright 2012 Ha´aretz 06/05/12)