Details: Government Approves NIS 3.2 Billion Plan to Develop Eastern
Jerusalem
[ChatGPT translation of the Hebrew provided by the Prime Minister's Office
20 August 2023

Main Decisions

Education and Training - 800 million NIS

Increase the number and percentage of students in the Israeli curriculum and
Israeli academy preparation programs, leading to integration into the
Israeli academy and the quality job market, through physical and pedagogical
incentives.

Raise the level of linguistic orientation, with an emphasis on the Hebrew
language among students and teaching staff.

Reduce dropout rates, promote a positive educational climate, prevent
violence, and provide individual care.

Establish and promote non-formal education in the school, community, and
civil society environments to develop skills, a sense of capability, and
connection to society.

Strengthen technological and scientific education, focusing on professions
that will allow integration into quality employment and higher education.

Employment and Economic Development - 507 million NIS

Employment guidance and encouragement: The Ministry of Labor will work to
expand the number of participants in the employment guidance center in the
eastern part of the city, strengthen technological education, and formulate
a comprehensive plan to reduce dropout from training programs and increase
the number of students in vocational schools in the eastern part of the city
by opening new schools. The Employment Service will examine the need and
possibility of expanding the Employment Service branch in East Jerusalem and
the need and possibility of expanding the "Employment Circles" program and
existing programs to promote employment. The Jerusalem Municipality will
work directly with strategic employers and government offices for
high-paying jobs to encourage the employment of residents from East
Jerusalem.

Hebrew for Employment: Develop a program for learning the Hebrew language
for job seekers interested in learning the language, with an emphasis on a
comprehensive response tailored to different target populations in the
eastern part of the city.

Employment in High Yield: A plan will be formulated to maximize employment
potential in East Jerusalem and integrate into high-yield jobs for education
system graduates.

Economic Development: The Small and Medium Business Agency in the Ministry
of Economy and Industry will work to encourage, promote, and develop small
and medium-sized businesses in East Jerusalem. The Investment and Industry
Development Authority will provide assistance to employers for the
recruitment of female and male workers from East Jerusalem, focusing on
high-paying jobs and occupations in demand in the labor market. The National
Digital System will work to improve digital literacy among East Jerusalem
residents. The Jerusalem Municipality will work to attract large businesses
in quality employment sectors to East Jerusalem. The National Authority for
Technological Innovation will encourage technological entrepreneurship,
establish startups, and integrate East Jerusalem residents into the
high-tech industry. This will be done using existing tools and examining
their adaptation to the existing area. As part of this, a center for
technological innovation will be established, and encouragement will be
given to technological initiatives and the establishment of startups. In
addition, efforts will be made to encourage employment, training, and
placement of East Jerusalem residents in the high-tech industry. The
activity will be coordinated with the Ministry of Labor.

Infrastructure Development - 833 million NIS

Roads Supporting Public Transport: The Ministry of Transport will work to
improve transportation aspects in East Jerusalem by expanding transportation
accessibility within neighborhoods, especially to the western part of the
city, and reducing the road infrastructure gap. This will be done through
planning and feasibility studies for new roads adapted for public transport
or upgrading existing roads that meet the economic-transport model developed
for this purpose.

Projects: Isawiya Interchange - creating a grade separation of Road 1 with
Road 347 and the entrance junction with the village of Isawiya. Atarot
Interchange - examining the budgeting of the interchange in light of an
economic feasibility study and according to the State Comptroller's report.
Eastern Ring Road - implementing planning to promote accessibility on the
northern American road and detailed planning of the Eastern Ring Road -
Center (Zur Baher).

Public Transport: A comprehensive plan for service lines in East Jerusalem,
including an examination of existing service lines and options for
optimizing them; budgeting, planning, and construction of public transport
terminals at the Olive Crossings and Rachel's Crossing; improving service in
East Jerusalem through accessibility and adding bus stops, investing in
technological means on buses and additional ticketing means, and
consolidating public transport operators in the eastern part of the city.

Sustainable Energy: Shading means and coatings in the public space that
include renewable energy; storage and production facilities to improve the
reliability of electricity supply and the electricity network in East
Jerusalem; charging stations for electric vehicles in public spaces and
assistance in transitioning public transport and service vehicles in East
Jerusalem to electric propulsion or fuel alternatives; replacing, upgrading,
planning, and optimizing air conditioning systems and lighting systems in
public institutions and the public space of East Jerusalem; initiatives that
will accelerate the transition to sustainable energy in the domestic and
business sectors in East Jerusalem.

Electricity: Promote a plan to improve the reliability of electricity supply
and service quality for East Jerusalem residents, through the Jerusalem
Municipality.

Sewage: The Gihon Company (Jerusalem's water and sewage corporation) will
continue to carry out sewage infrastructure projects in East Jerusalem as
part of the corporation's multi-year work plan.

Planning - 132 million NIS

Statutory Planning: Increase the number of approved housing units for
residence by at least 2,000 apartments on average per year, mainly within
the framework of detailed outline plans derived from master plans and urban
renewal plans that include mixed uses and tubing and upgrading of the public
skeleton. Promote plans for the development of industrial, employment, and
commercial areas in East Jerusalem. Promote mapping processes for land
regulation in the eastern part of the city.

Public Buildings: Promote, plan, and establish public buildings such as
community centers, multi-purpose public buildings, welfare and community
buildings, expand sports halls and libraries in schools so that they provide
neighborhood service, to improve the provision of municipal and public
services throughout the neighborhoods of the east.

Services for residents - 900 million NIS

Health:
Reducing disparities in the health sector, focusing on the following areas:
community services including primary and consulting medicine, early years of
life - including expanding the number of infant clinics and developmental
units, mental health services in hospitalization and in the community,
strengthening the hospitalization system of hospitals. Establishing an
inter-ministerial planning team that will formulate a multi-year operational
systemic plan within 120 days to improve the health situation in East
Jerusalem and reduce inequality in health and health services. The team will
set procedural and outcome goals for each of the focuses detailed above and
will publish them to the public.

Welfare:
The Ministry of Welfare will work to provide tailored and comprehensive
welfare services: strengthening human capital - continuing the allocation of
social worker standards for employment in East Jerusalem; developing a
continuum of responses for identifying and treating at-risk youth and young
adults; treatment and prevention of domestic violence situations; expanding
responses to at-risk children, with an emphasis on early intervention from
birth to age 6; enhancing the welfare program basket for elderly residents
and their families, people with disabilities and their families, people
coping with poverty, and more.

Sustainability:
The Ministry of Environmental Protection will formulate plans in the areas
of household waste, rehabilitation of degraded public areas, placemaking,
and education and community.

Public Space:
Promoting plans to improve and upgrade public spaces in East Jerusalem
neighborhoods through the Jerusalem Municipality, in the following areas:
promoting planning and presenting it to authorized planning institutions;
developing and establishing at least 7 parks/recreational and leisure areas;
upgrading at least 20 streets in all neighborhoods; improving the
cleanliness situation, with an emphasis on building waste removal;
completing the preparation of an urban nature survey, ecological crossings,
and waste detection in open areas.

Culture, Community, and Leisure:
The Jerusalem and Israeli Heritage Ministry will work to strengthen cultural
and sports activities in the eastern part of the city in the following
areas: creating a routine of community cultural and leisure activities for
young families and youth in all community administrations; conducting at
least 50 significant community cultural and leisure activities each year.

Personal Security:
The Ministry of National Security will work to increase presence and
personal security feeling in East Jerusalem neighborhoods through the Israel
Police and the National Community Security Authority: increasing the number
of police officers and assisting inspectors in the municipal enforcement
system in Jerusalem, including in East Jerusalem neighborhoods (Kedem area);
conducting a staff work to examine the distinctions related to securing
educational institutions in the eastern part of the city; promoting
construction plans for police stations; establishing a police point as part
of an integrated service center in Jabal Mukaber; expanding the "Looking at
Jerusalem" project - deploying cameras and main intersections and using
analytics tools; formulating and implementing specific programs for police
points or units located in East Jerusalem neighborhoods to enhance personal
security and increase trust between the Israel Police and the residents
while addressing community aspects; expanding local authority programs to
prevent violence and combat drug and alcohol use in its area.

Local Initiatives:
The Jerusalem and Israeli Heritage Ministry will promote local projects for
the benefit of improving the social responses provided to East Jerusalem
residents through civil society organizations operating in the eastern part
of the city or through civil society organizations operating towards the
Arab society in Israel and interested in operating in the eastern part of
the city. The ministry will work with civil society organizations, to
improve social responses, including: projects that promote accessibility and
rights realization, Hebrew language studies, higher education accessibility,
employment improvement, and more.