Menora Mivtachim has purchased an office block in the heart of Manhattan together with the America REIT fund SL Green, which is the largest office owner in Manhattan. The asset was bought for $445 million with Menora investing $450 million, representing 25% of the equity invested in the deal. SL Green invested a similar sum with the remainder invested by a Korean entity.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

The building, which is considered a Class A Trophy Asset is 33 stories high with a total space of 32,000 square meters and is located in one of the most central locations in Manhattan, on Park Avenue and 57 Street opposite the Four Seasons Hotel. Around 6% of the building is commercial space rented out to luxury car brand Aston Martin and United Bank with contracts running until 2029.

The building currently has 22 tenants, mostly from the finance sector, and is thus not dependent on a single tenant. The average floor space is 1,000 square meters, an ideal size for financial firms and hedge funds.

Over the past two months, there has been a significant increase in the rental transactions in the office sector in Manhattan, especially in the Midtown area, with a clear trend of tenants focusing on quality buildings with various amenities and high-level services, and located in central parts of town.

The deal was made to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase a quality asset with potential for betterment that is located in one of the most central and prestigious areas of Manhattan and to do so alongside a leading partner that has proven experience in the New York office sector. The deal was led on Menora's side by Uzi Levi, CEO of Menora Mivtachim Real Estate, and Shiri Kishon, head of real estate investments at the company.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

Uzi Levi, CEO of Menora Mivtachim Real Estate: "The deal took advantage of an opportunity to purchase a quality asset with potential for betterment located in one of the most central and prestigious locations in Manhattan. We are very pleased to have partnered with SL Green which is very knowledgeable in the local market and is a leader with proven expertise in the New York market and is partnering with us on equal terms.

This article might include sponsored and commercial content/marketing information. Israel Hayom is not responsible for its nature or its credibility. The publication of such content or information shall not be considered a recommendation and/or an offer by Israel Hayom to purchase and/or use the services or products mentioned in this article.

The post Major Manhattan real estate deal for Menora Mivtachim appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The Construction and Allied Industries Union, the Israel Builders Association, and the Renovation Contractors Association, headed by Eran Siv, have signed a collective agreement aimed at improving the conditions of workers in the construction industry and raising their salaries, as well as a broader commitment by employers to employee safety. The agreement, which is an update to the 2015 collective agreement, is valid for a period of five years, subject to the government issuing an extension order.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

The construction and infrastructure industry in Israel employs some 340,000 people, of whom some 250,000 are Israeli. The agreement includes an update of the industry minimum wage to one higher than the general minimum wage, automatic updates between pay grades, incentives for professional and safety training, and improvement of employee conditions in other fields. Moreover, due to the chronic shortage of site managers in the construction industry, site managers will receive a significant wage increment to encourage veteran managers to remain in the industry.

The collective agreement also stipulates that employers should increase investment in worker safety and send employees for practical safety training. They will be trained to work at heights and receive additional on-site safety training. Training will be held in several languages. A previous safety agreement signed in 2018 was also updated in order to simplify its implementation.

The Foundation for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry in Israel, jointly operated by the Histadrut Labor Federation and the Israel Builders Association, has in recent years been working to reduce the number of accidents in the industry and runs various work safety training programs. In the future, it plans to establish an academy of construction industry professions to train the next generation of managers and employees in the industry.

Histadrut Labor Federation Chairman Arnon Bar-David said: Dozens of workers in Israel lose their lives every year in the construction industry because of serious safety issues. We cannot get used to a reality where a person goes to work and does not know if he will return home to his family safely. I welcome the agreement, which both takes care of safety in the industry and improves workers' conditions and their wages. I am hopeful that we are setting out on a new path that will save lives in the construction industry. I thank Yitzhak Moyal, my friend Raul Sarugo for partnering with us on this path, the Renovation Contractors Association, and everyone who was involved in the signing of this important agreement. We will continue to work for the benefit of workers in all sectors of the economy."

Israel Builders Association President Raul Sarugo said: "We are very proud of the addendum to the agreement. The construction and infrastructure industry is the growth engine of the economy. This is another important tool for expanding the numbers of people employed in the industry and recruiting many Israelis who will be able to contribute to its continued growth. The conditions for employees in the industry are among the best in the economy and it [the agreement]  opens for those working in the industry or those joining its ranks and occupational and managerial horizon in which the sky is the limit. The industry's employees are dear to us. They are our partners every day in building the State of Israel and taking it forward. We thank our partners to the agreement, the chairman of the Histadrut's labor committee Amit Gottlieb and his team, and we call on the state to continue working together with us to overcome the manpower shortage in our industry so that we can continue to build the country and meet the high demand in the housing market."

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

Chairman of the Construction and Allied Industries Union, Yitzhak Moyal, said: "After arduous negotiations with countless ups and downs, we reached an agreement that brings good news, raises wages for all workers in the industry and gives them decent working conditions. The industry minimum wage will rise during the period of the agreement to NIS 6,300 per month, making it the highest minimum wage in the economy.

"The agreement also includes automatic salary level upgrades for employees and an incentive for employers to refer employees to professional training courses through the Foundation for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry. Per hour wages for crane operators will also be raised and site managers will be eligible for an extremely significant wage raise of almost 50%. The agreement also includes a significant improvement in wages for renovation industry workers."

Moyal added: "The agreement is a major boost for the industry, which is the growth engine of the economy.  The workers in the industry are fully deserving of it. I would like to thank Arnon Bar-David who stood by me throughout the difficult negotiations, I would also like to thank the team at the Histadrut and to add a good word for Israel Builders Association President Raul Sarugo for his understanding.".

This article might include sponsored and commercial content/marketing information. Israel Hayom is not responsible for its nature or its credibility. The publication of such content or information shall not be considered a recommendation and/or an offer by Israel Hayom to purchase and/or use the services or products mentioned in this article.

.

The post Construction industry workers to get better wages, safety conditions appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The neighboring towns of Ashkelon and Ashdod in the south are competing to build the largest and most luxurious waterpark in Israel. Both cities have presented plans for massive water parks that are expected to be major tourist attractions.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

The Ashkelon park will include a "lazy river" – an artificial river with gentle waves reaching a height of 60 centimeters – that will be both a standalone attraction and a way of getting around the park while taking a rest, cooling off, and admiring the view. The Ashkelon water park will also feature an activity pool, six mega slides, and a kid's pool with smaller slides and splash areas. The mega slides include a full-body slide, a speed slide, and a double racing slide. Another of the park's attractions is an inner tube course.

In addition to all the above, the park will include commercial areas, food courts, a  spa,  an event hall, and a first aid clinic.

The Ashdod waterpark will also feature a range of attractions,  including a wave pool, three slide towers  - extreme, regular,  and family and a raging river, as well as other attractions for an unforgettable experience. A multi-story adventure park will be built alongside the waterpark and will include extreme attractions of various levels of difficulty that will enable users to rediscover fine motor skills they may not have used in a long time. Other attractions at the Ashdod adventure park will include kart-racing tracks and a huge mini Luna Park with facilities suitable for small children.

The Ashkelon park which is competing for the title of the biggest water park in the Middle East is the bigger of the two parks spreading out over 60 dunams with over 25 different attractions and slides for the entire family. The park is expected to be a major employment hub for residents of the town and will help position Ashkelon as an international tourist town. The company that wins the tender to operate the park will in accordance with conditions set by the Ministry of Tourism benefit from a financial grant under the terms of the Law for Encouragement of Capital Investments. The park will be built in the northern area of  Ashkelon, near other major attractions such as the golf park - a beach vacation complex – and also the nearby nature reserve.

The Ashdod park will spread out over 40 at an estimated cost of 60-70 million shekels and will operate on Build Operate Transfer (BOT) model over a period of 20-25 years.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

The planning of the Ashkelon facility is being led by Ran Wolf Urban Planning and Project Management. Among other projects, Ran Wolf has managed the Tel Aviv Port and the Jaffa Port, the Beersheba and Haifa innovation quarters, the new business quarter in Jerusalem, the Ashdod tourism hub, and a  tourism complex in Morocco.

Also taking part in the Ashkelon project is Global Leisure & Entertainment, a Dubai and Hong Kong-based consulting company for leisure and entertainment complexes.

This article might include sponsored and commercial content/marketing information. Israel Hayom is not responsible for its nature or its credibility. The publication of such content or information shall not be considered a recommendation and/or an offer by Israel Hayom to purchase and/or use the services or products mentioned in this article.

The post Southern Israeli towns compete for Israel's largest waterpark appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

If everyone works in high-tech, who will plan our towns and homes? Senior architect Orit Pinchas and human resources manager Tali Shilon are currently in the process of setting up a unique placement company to recruit architects. The goal of the company named ARCHITEK is to keep architects in the industry which has seen a major brain drain in recent years with many architects leaving primarily for the tech sector. The company will focus on integrating architects into the field of planning and real estate and companies and organizations across all sections of the market.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Pinchas and Shilon said that ARCHITEK will aim to serve as an "agent" for architects looking for work and will help them get the conditions they are looking for and tailor a dream job for their needs. The company will seek to create a match between architects and relevant places of employment with the roles and hours that architects are looking for

ARCHITEK will publish jobs for employers and then commence the process of sorting CVs, conducting initial phone interviews, selecting candidates for comprehensive interviews, and will also employ a graphologist to analyze handwriting. At the end of the process, only candidates with optimal compatibility with the demands of the employers will be submitted as potential employees.

Israel has seen a growing shortage of architects in Israel in recent years. Although some 400 students graduate from architectural studies every year following completion of a five-year program, most architects leave the field because of the low wages in comparison with those in the tech sector.

ARCHITEK's Pinchasi and SHilon say: "We believe that it is important and possible to bring the architectural profession back to its rightful place. Over the years we have seen growing responsibility placed on the shoulders of architects both toward the customer and when it comes to handling regulatory issues.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

At the same time, architects are required to constantly update knowledge and work methods. On the other hand, architect fees have remained static for years as have wages paid to salaried architects. Architects have to complete a rigorous training program following which they do not receive suitable remuneration. This has led to a declining status of the profession and a brain drain of talented people that have chosen higher-paid professions.

"Israel is currently experiencing an unprecedented construction boom, and the growing demand for construction industry professionals including architects meets with a lack of supply. Therefore, the question is, 'Who will plan our towns and homes, if everyone works in high-tech?' We established ARCHITEK out of the belief that the labor market needs a focused solution for the architectural profession, and with the hope that will bring about the necessary change."

This article might include sponsored and commercial content/marketing information. Israel Hayom is not responsible for its nature or its credibility. The publication of such content or information shall not be considered a recommendation and/or an offer by Israel Hayom to purchase and/or use the services or products mentioned in this article.

The post Plugging the architectural brain-drain appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The war in Ukraine has yet to end and the residents of the country are still licking their wounds as the fighting against the Russians goes on, but in war, as in war, there are already those who are looking ahead and wondering whether the instability in the Eastern European country is an opportunity for high yield real estate investments.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

In order to understand whether this is the right time to invest in real estate in Ukraine, we spoke to attorney Avi Sira from the law firm Avraham Lalum & Co. Among other clients, the firm represents the Israeli embassy in Ukraine and other international bodies. It also represents real estate projects that in total account for 3,000 apartments. Our aim was to see how real estate investors in Ukraine are dealing with the current situation.

Some construction companies have returned to work even though the war is ongoing. In a similar fashion to the way the markets responded the coronavirus crisis, the Ukraine-Russia war is impacting the real estate market in Ukraine. But it is not the only factor. When a war is ongoing, there are always those who think one step ahead. There are already investors who are seeing the war Ukraine as an attractive target because of the war. Investors who believe that the Russian-Ukrainian conflict will soon come to an end can take advantage and buy real estate at reasonable prices.

We checked several projects that are being marketed in Israel, looking at the state of the market and price levels. We found that there has been no decline in prices and representatives of several companies told us that due to the rise in building costs, there have even been price increases as apartment prices are comprised primarily of construction costs. Prices today range between $1,700 a square meter to $3,500 a square meter for luxury projects.

You don't have to look through the history books to understand that there are investors who are willing to take a gamble and invest in real estate at a time when the situation in a country is unstable and even during a period of war in order to potentially enjoy a high yield in the future. Investors should take into account that no decline in prices is currently expected and that companies have returned to work. This broadcasts a sense of relative security even amid the war.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

Another significant factor that should be taken into consideration when weighing an investment in Ukraine and which could impact the real estate market in the area is the substantial financial aid coming into the country from Europe, the United States, and large private funds.

Ukraine's acceptance into the European Union will result in further strengthening of the country's economy and its real estate market. This could result in investors from many countries around the world understanding the significant potential that exists in the country in view of the substantial price differences between investments in Ukraine and investments in other countries in Europe. At the same time, it is important to take into account that the war in Ukraine has yet to end and there are dangers that must be considered before going ahead with an investment. Therefore, investment in real estate at the current time in Ukraine is not suitable for every investor.

This article might include sponsored and commercial content/marketing information. Israel Hayom is not responsible for its nature or its credibility. The publication of such content or information shall not be considered a recommendation and/or an offer by Israel Hayom to purchase and/or use the services or products mentioned in this article.

The post Is now the time the right time to invest in real estate in Ukraine? appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The Knesset Internal Affairs and Environment Committee headed by Minister of the Interior Ayelet Shaked has authorized an increase in urban density in Israel's towns and cities aimed at bringing densification to a similar level to that in major urban centers in the world.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Urban densification in Israel currently stands at 8,565 persons per square kilometer in Tel Aviv, 7,186 in Jerusalem, and 4,346 in Haifa and is considered relatively low compared to Europe and the United States.  The average densification in Athens for example is more than two times higher than that in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

A statement issued by the committee following the authorization of the move, said: "This is a planning and environmental revolution that will have a direct effect on urban quality of life. Higher densification is a prerequisite for better and more varied urban services within residential neighborhoods, such as better public transport and more institutions, and encourages people to walk and cycle. For example, densification of 20,000 to 30,000 persons per square kilometer is required to justify rail-based transportation systems and enables a reduction in the use of motor vehicles, more convenient mobility, and reduced air pollution."

Shaked welcomed the new measures, saying: "As part of our preparations for the doubling of the country's population, the l committee today authorized an important move to increase density in towns and cities. This change will bring about a significant increase in housing units within the urban sphere. While relying on efficient mass transportation systems. I have instructed the planning authority to promote the necessary changes in the rural sector and these will be bought for discussion as soon as possible.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

Planning Administration Director-General Dalit Zilber said: "The changes to Zoning Plan 35 will lead to a revolution and reorganization of the urban space in a way that will lead to increased quality of life for residents. We want to see an urban space that is active throughout all hours of the day, providing maximum accessibility to public transportation and urban services."

This article might include sponsored and commercial content/marketing information. Israel Hayom is not responsible for its nature or its credibility. The publication of such content or information shall not be considered a recommendation and/or an offer by Israel Hayom to purchase and/or use the services or products mentioned in this article.

The post Ministers approve increased densification of Israel's cities appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

A recent conference held by the Israel Builders Association in Eilat revealed the extent of criminal phenomena on construction sites throughout Israel. Most of them are not dealt with.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Arie David, CEO of Arie Erez Building & Infrastructure, told the conference that the phenomenon has spread beyond the periphery. "Everything began in the South; it began as something small but when it reached the center of the country, then suddenly everyone woke. The solution is not the police, but the government. I say to the government, you must give them something to lose."

Commander Motti Schiff, head of investigations at the Israel Police Major Crimes Unit Lahav 433, said: "We agree that this phenomenon exists not just in the South and in the North. It may primarily exist there but it isn't just a problem. faced by contractors and it isn't just in the construction industry. When the Israel Police deals with 350,000 complaints a year and 10 million calls to its hotline, then obviously with just 32,000 police officers there are mistakes and we have to prioritize."

Dr. Samir Mohamad, mayor of Umm al-Fahm, also spoke at the conference. "It's unfortunate that people take the issue of protection and connect it to the Arab community," he said. "I have a friend who is a contractor in Ratana and pays protection to Jews. There is currently no law that deals with protection. We need legislation on the issue, and not everything is reported to Lahav 433. In 2021, only 10% of cases were reported to Lahav and the rest were reported to police stations. 105 cases." He added that the committee of heads of municipal authorities "is working and everyone can see that there is a decline [in protection rackets]. Today we see a drastic decline in everything connected to offenses of this nature in Arab society thanks to our work on the ground.

There is another issue, that of black market loans. This is also an extremely widespread phenomenon because of the difficulty in receiving mortgages in Arab society. Here as well, we are holding a dialogue with all government offices."

Commander Motti Schiff added:  There are many other fields in which this happen, in landfills, in transportation, and many others. It is a problem of governance, a problem that costs the state of Israel a lot of money. A tender that is polluted will cost the state a lot more money. Security companies are small cash, the people active in this field became the security companies themselves a long time ago, and, yes, they kick people out of tenders. And if a contractor who wins a tender resigns, and then number two and three resign, the criminal organization can determine who will win.

"There has been an 87% increase in indictments and arrests and that is after people come to us once everything else hasn't worked for them. Today, it's not like a criminal comes up and puts a gun to your head. Today, offenses are economic. It takes 30 to 40 investigators and four to five prosecuting attorneys to work on a case like this. In the end. We need the contractors to come to us to complain. The Israel Police knows that this is its responsibility and does a lot, but it can't be just the police. In the end, everybody has to be involved: the tax authorities the courts, the state prosecution."

Tzvika David, deputy president of the Israel Builders Association said at the conference that "protection is the quiet plague of the infrastructure and construction sector. But it is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to criminal offenses in the construction sector, which have become the norm. Perhaps the most serious offense is that 4000 construction sites operate without a site manager as required by law. In some cases, services are bought from site managers on an hourly basis and they then sign a false license for the site.

"It is noteworthy that in Israel there are currently 15,000 active construction sites and each construction site must have a site manager in charge of managing operations and safety. There is currently a shortage of over 5000 site managers in Israel. Some 400 site managers are currently retiring every month. Most of them are a product of the big wave of Aliyah from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s and there is no one to replace them. So even if the state increases supply in the housing market to bring down prices, we won't be able to build because of a shortage of site managers. Many people don't want to work in the field because the criminal responsibility for every work accident falls on their shoulders.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

Assistant Police Commissioner (Res.) Eli Assayag, an adviser to The Foundation for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry in Israel and formally a commander of the economic crime unit Lahav 433 said: The problem exists throughout the country and we are dealing with it on all fronts. In the past, we constructed a model that attacks the security companies economically. A case that is currently ongoing is that of a security company in the central region that took on all sorts of subcontractors, made threats, and didn't provide a proper service to the construction companies. Eventually, we built a case of several fraud offenses against them – predicate offenses against the banks, insurance companies, the Ministry of Economy, and the Ministry of Justice. When an offense is a predicate offense all the money that is taken in by the security companies constitutes the scope of the offense and what is left to do is to seize and impound all their property.

Moreover, he added: "Money laundering offenses are serious and complex. The Israel Police makes great efforts on this front. It demands a huge amount of work from other government ministries (the tax authority and the justice ministry. In practice, there aren't enough prosecutors and the state should have the sense to make the proper adaptations to the new challenges without involving civilians and to deal with the offenders directly and impound their property. The law is good enough. We just need to enforce it."

This article might include sponsored and commercial content/marketing information. Israel Hayom is not responsible for its nature or its credibility. The publication of such content or information shall not be considered a recommendation and/or an offer by Israel Hayom to purchase and/or use the services or products mentioned in this article.

The post The quiet scurge of the construction industry appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Hundreds of Israelis living in old buildings that have been classified as dangerous are not insured in the event of a collapse of the building, Israel Hayom has learned.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

According to a report compiled by the Knesset Research Center and seen by Israel Hayom, the current situation in Israel is that building insurance does not provide coverage in the event of the collapse of a building due to its age.

Compiled at the request of MK Mossi Raz, the report states that from a legal point of view, it is the responsibility of property owners to restore a building and ensure public safety, and it is the responsibility of the local authority to supervise this. However, the local authority does not have a legal liability to the tenants in the event that a building has been declared dangerous and in immediate risk and an injunction has been issued to evacuate the building, demolish, or seal off the building. Moreover, the local authority does not bear the responsibility to find alternative accommodation for tenants in the event that a building has been declared dangerous, and neither does it have the responsibility to advance urban renewal on the lot.

The situation is that many people live in old buildings that may at one point or another have to be evacuated due to an immediate risk of collapse. There are no guarantees or compensation in this event, and people could find themselves facing ruin.

According to the inter-ministerial steering committee for preparation for earthquakes, ten towns are at high risk of immediate danger of collapse of buildings: Tiberias, Kiryat Shmona, Safed, Katzrin, Bet Shean, Hatzor, Afula, Migdal Ha'Emek, Rosh Pina and Eilat.

However, the risk to buildings is not restricted to these towns. In Tel Aviv for example, there are no less than 885 buildings that are classified as dangerous. In Rishon Letzion some 500 buildings are classified as dangerous, in Ashdod -143, and Beersheba - 23. Notably, there is no national database covering this issue.

It should be recalled that in September 2021, a building collapsed in Holon; the 34 families living there were evacuated from the building before it collapsed. In May 2022, the insuring company notified the residents of the building that it would not pay compensation as deterioration that was the cause of the collapse was not included in the policy.

Several meetings were held at the prime minister's office in October-November 2021 to formulate a government decision on the issue whereby inter-ministerial work teams would prepare a response to the central issues. However, because of disagreements between the Ministry of Housing and Construction and other government ministries, this never happened. There is currently no government policy on the issue and the government is not currently working to formulate such a policy.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

What is the situation in the rest of the world? In Romania, residents are required to take out insurance for natural disasters at a cost of between 10 to 20 euros per year. In Greece, a law is due to come into effect that will require residents to take out home insurance for natural disasters in at-risk areas. In Iceland and Portugal, residents are required to insure their homes for fires. In Turkey, the property must be insured for earthquakes and in Italy, there are tax breaks on mortgage repayments. Additional countries also give tax on mortgage payments for persons working from home or renting out an apartment.

Raz, who commissioned the report, said: "The document's findings point to the absence of an adequate insurance response to cases of collapsed buildings. This creates a situation whereby buildings collapse and the owners lose their property and possessions and get no compensation. This is a very worrying picture and requires us to examine in-depth responses at both the safety and legislative levels.

This article might include sponsored and commercial content/marketing information. Israel Hayom is not responsible for its nature or its credibility. The publication of such content or information shall not be considered a recommendation and/or an offer by Israel Hayom to purchase and/or use the services or products mentioned in this article.

The post Hundreds of aging buildings uninsured for collapse appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Workers at hundreds of construction sites around the country stopped work for a few hours to mark National Safety Day for the construction industry, last month. The workers received training to improve safety in the industry.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

This marks a revolutionary change among contractors who have begun to take responsibility for safety standards in the industry. The issue of fatal work accidents on construction sites was the main topic on the agenda during the event, which is now in its third year.

"Construction sites are very complex and therefore there is enormous potential for accidents," said Maj-Gen (Res) Eyal Ben Reuven, the chairman of the construction industry safety headquarters. "In 2019 we had 14 fatalities for every 100,000 employees. (this is the standard measurement in the construction industry in Israel and the rest of the world). In 2021, we were down to 10.6 fatalities per 100,000. The numbers are down but we still have a lot more work to do. We want to be the very best and there is no reason that we shouldn't be.

Recently, the government passed a decision that employees coming from Judea and Samaria and Gaza will have to undergo training as a condition for receiving a work permit in Israel.  "We aim to have this apply to all workers in the industry and Israel," said Moshe Ben Zaken, CEO of the Fund for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry in Israel.

Activities were held at the construction industry safety headquarters operating under the auspices of the Israel Builders Association and the Construction Workers Union, together with The Institute for Occupational Safety and Hygiene.

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

"We stopped all work on construction sites throughout the country," said Israel Builders Association President Raul Sarugo. "We provide training for the workers and site managers about the dangers that exist. Safety is our main concern. And if a worker is required to ask to do a job that puts his life at risk,"

Itzhak Moyal, chairman of the Construction Workers Union added: We have managed to cut the number of fatalities in the past three years by 30%. That is not enough; we will continue to improve."

This article might include sponsored and commercial content/marketing information. Israel Hayom is not responsible for its nature or its credibility. The publication of such content or information shall not be considered a recommendation and/or an offer by Israel Hayom to purchase and/or use the services or products mentioned in this article.

The post Construction industry halts to mark Safety Day appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Just after two earthquakes were felt in the north of the country at the beginning of last week, the Knesset Research Center submitted a report commissioned by MK Yisrael Eichler, that reveals shocking figures about the reinforcement of buildings against earthquakes and raises serious questions about the disastrous consequences should a major earthquake occur in Israel in the coming years.

Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

According to the report, which includes a comprehensive section on National Outline Plan 38, in all the communities that sit along the Jordan Rift Valley (the Syro-African Depression) from Eilat in the South to Kiryat Shmona in the North, only 70 buildings have been reinforced in the past five years. In Jerusalem which sits close by to the fault line, for example, only 1% of buildings where a request was issued for planning permission for reinforcement have actually received permission.

The Ministry of Housing and Construction estimates that in Israel there are some 80,000 buildings of three stories and more that require reinforcement containing some 810,000 apartments.

Moreover, according to the assessment of the inter-ministerial steering committee for preparation for earthquakes, in the event of a major earthquake, in addition to the loss of life, some 28,600 buildings could be destroyed or seriously damaged (damage amounting to at least 45% of the value of the building) and a further 292,000 buildings will suffer slight to moderate damage (damage amounting t 5% to 20% of the value of the building).

According to the inter-ministerial steering committee assessment, the number of buildings that require reinforcement in 10 towns in areas that sit in high-risk areas that could be affected by an earthquake stands at 1871 buildings containing 36,758 apartments that require reinforcement against earthquakes and safe rooms for defense against missiles. The cost of reinforcing and building safe rooms for these buildings is estimated at NIS 3.9 billion.

"This is a total failure," said MK Yisrael Eichler of the United Torah Judaism party who commissioned the Knesset Research Center report. "For years we at the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee sub-committee for home front defense have been talking about earthquakes and safe rooms but unbelievably simply nothing has been done."

The Knesset Research Committee report also deals with the percentage of buildings reinforced in the central region of the country versus those reinforced in communities in outlying areas. The results are hardly surprising.

According to the Knesset report, during the years that National Outline Plan 38 has been in place only 1.7% of the buildings that require reinforcement (1,337 buildings) have in fact been reinforced. Some 76% of the buildings that have been reinforced are in Tel Aviv and the central region and only 5% in the northern and southern districts.

As part of the National Outline Plan, which allows additional apartments to be added to buildings in exchange for reinforcement of the building and the addition of saferooms in all the building's apartments, an additional 13,124 apartments have been added to such buildings. On average, for each apartment that was reinforced as part of the National Outline Plan, another apartment was constructed. Some 80% of the apartments added were in high-demand areas – namely the Tel Aviv and central districts.

The average time it takes to carry out a project from submission of a request for planning permission until completion of the project has increased from two-and-a-half years in 2010 to more than seven years in 2020. Thus a program that was planned to provide a fast track has slowed down over the years.

In 2019, the government decided to suspend the program until 2022 because of its failure to advance the issue of reinforcing and strengthening buildings on the required scale and its failure to apply the program in the periphery where the need for reinforcement and strengthening of buildings is especially acute. The program also failed as a tool to create a more dense urban environment ("urban renewal") among other things, because of the absence of planning, and the absence of a response to the need for infrastructures and public buildings created by increased density.

In November 2020, the government passed "Decision 590" to establish a team to examine complementary tools to encourage reinforcement of residential buildings against earthquakes in high-risk areas and the periphery.

According to this decision, an inter-ministerial team headed by the Director-General of the Ministry of the Interior would recommend to the government complementary tools required to encourage the reinforcement of existing residential buildings constructed before 1980 in cases where National Outline Plan 38 and other mechanisms existing today have failed to provide a solution in high-risk areas for earthquakes.

However, the Knesset report raises questions about what has been titled the "Shaked alternative," which is supposed to replace National Outline Plan 38 and expressed doubts about the ability to implement the Shaked alternative in practice.

Absence of urban-planning considerations: The Shaked alternative proposes regulation about public designation of some residential buildings at a rate of 10 to 15% of the construction area existing on the lot depending on the track. Up to 10% of the total area is permitted for construction on the lot (beyond additional rights for residential construction). Submitting requests for planning permission on this track requires an opinion to be deposited by the local planning council engineer that the building should be prioritized for reinforcement rather than being demolished and rebuilt, taking into account, among other things, the state of the building, the lot it sits on and the surrounding environment, including architectural or historic importance. However, the proposed legislation does not list the planning or urban considerations in this regard.

 Statutory planning or policy? The national authority for urban renewal does not advance overall plans for the entire jurisdiction of any particular local planning committee but it does promote various planning tools for certain neighborhoods in specific towns. The plan in question is the "construction renewal plan" for eight communities: Ashdod, Ramle, Yavne, Rishon Letzion, Kfar Saba, Haifa, and Nahariya. According to the authority, some 21,000 buildings have the potential for construction renewal within the framework of this plan. The Knesset report notes that it is unclear whether these plans are statutory plans or policy plans, nor how the construction renewal plan integrates within the overall framework of urban renewal.

The question of betterment tax: Concerning betterment tax, the question arises, what is the point in determining a uniform rate of exemption for betterment tax in all plans in all towns? While in some cases the rate of betterment tax increases brackets (for example, in comparison to the full exemption granted by National Outline Plan 38) the tax is still low when compared to betterment tax on other assets. What are the effects of this on the ability of local councils to provide the required budgets for increasing urban density in the framework of these plans?  Does the proposed rate of betterment tax enable proper budgeting for development?

Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!

An additional question that arises from the report about betterment tax is why in the description and analysis of National Outline Plan 38 and the plans proposed to replace it,  local authorities have not received the authority to determine the rate of betterment tax based on various parameters concerning the value of land and the development requirements in the area of the project.

Another issue the Knesset Research Committee report looks at looks is the reinforcement and strengthening of buildings in the communities of the Gaza envelope. The report reveals that in the years 2008 to 2017, homes in 42 communities in the Gaza envelope were strengthened within the framework of this project. Some 10,700 safe rooms were built with state funding at a total cost of NIS 1.7 billion.

From 2019 to 2022, the state allocated NIS 354 million to strengthen homes near the northern border (communities located up to a kilometer from the border) and a further NIS 35 million was allocated to reinforcement and strengthening of public housing.

This article might include sponsored and commercial content/marketing information. Israel Hayom is not responsible for its nature or its credibility. The publication of such content or information shall not be considered a recommendation and/or an offer by Israel Hayom to purchase and/or use the services or products mentioned in this article.

The post Study: Only 1.7% of buildings in Israel reinforced against earthquakes appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.