Druze town to receive new neighborhood due to housing crisis
"The planning was done with special care for the needs of the Druze community in the Golan Heights and while addressing the housing shortage."
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFMembers of the Druze community holds Syrian and Druze flags as they sit facing Syria, during a rally marking the anniversary of Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights in the Druze village of Majdal Shams. February 14, 2019. (photo credit: AMMAR AWAD / REUTERS)
A new neighborhood will be built in the Druze town Majdal Shams in the Mount Hermon region, with approximately 800 housing units to be built.Housing units will be added for the Druze community using the topography of the region, planned by the Construction and Housing Ministry. The planning cost stands at approximately NIS 3 million."The planning of this new neighborhood in Majdal Shams is another step in the activities of the ministry to create housing solutions for all sectors," said Construction and Housing Ministry director-general Benny Dreyfus.After a thorough scan of the area surrounding Majdal Shams, the location where the additional housing units will be built was chosen as the most suitable due to the availability of the land there and a moderate topographic structure. It would, according to the ministry, improve tourism to the area, as the terrain is ideal for travelers.It will be build on a part of a hill that is relatively moderate, which will allow for comfortable pedestrian traffic, public transportation and cars.The construction will include not only housing units, but also extensive commercial areas, educational institutions, employment and tourism. The main street of the neighborhood, which will look over the Golan Heights, will have a stream of spring water coming from Maale Hahursha at one end and a new hotel at the other.The plan was complicated by the fact that the neighborhood is in a sensitive area, which was taken into account completely during the planning stage."The planning was done with special care for the needs of the Druze community in the Golan Heights and while addressing the housing shortage," said Vered Solomon Maman, the lead architect for the ministry."A new space was created which will allow different activities according to the seasons and different festivals that can integrate into the new construction and within the public areas that were created."
