A document obtained by Behadrei Haredim shows that Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman decided to further narrow the Haredim’s steps and now he focuses on engaged couples who can no longer register for the “price per occupant” lottery while Arab spouses with similar status can register for a discount on an apartment at a discount
Intentionally, Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman has decided in recent days to prevent ultra-Orthodox from accessing the price per occupant lotteries, by restricting access to lotteries for engaged couples, a change that will restrict mostly ultra-Orthodox couples but not only, while Arabs engaged for more than a year can continue to join unlimited lotteries.
Until now, engaged couples could access the price per occupant lotteries as soon as they opened a marriage file at the Chief Rabbinate, three months before the wedding, so they could start their lives in peace with an apartment in their hands at a reduced price.
A document indicating the decision made this week by Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman was obtained by Behadrei Haredim, that from now on only couples who are already registered as married will be able to register for the lotteries. “As of this date, unregistered eligible persons may not be authorized to register for eligibility,” the decision, published here for the first time, reads.
The decision is made in astonishment among the ultra-Orthodox public who are angry about the blatant discrimination, in which engaged Arab couples will be able to register for the lottery, but ultra-Orthodox in a similar situation will not be able to register, which indicates clear and deliberate discrimination against the ultra-Orthodox population.
The housing crisis in Israel is growing day by day, and in the ultra-Orthodox community the distress is all the greater, due to the need of the ultra-Orthodox to live in an ultra-Orthodox environment. If it is not enough that the government has so far refrained from helping the ultra-Orthodox, now the public struggle is gaining momentum as Lieberman sticks sticks in the wheels of young couples longing for a roof over their heads.