Both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his challenger, Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog, promised Wednesday to implement State Comptroller Joseph Shapiro\’s recommendations on how to solve the housing crisis in the next government that they each intend to form.
"We are taking this important report seriously," Netanyahu said at a speech in Ma\’ale Adumin. "We did a lot, and the report acknowledges that, but we still have a lot to do, and I will do it in my next government."
The Likud said its governments increased new construction projects from 32,000 to 47,000 units per year and built new roads and rail lines connecting the Negev and Galilee with the center of the country. The party said 60,000 new housing units will be marketed, 80,000 new units in the Center of the country will be planned and 100,000 new housing units will be built on land in the Center of the country in place of IDF bases that will be moved to the Negev.
Herzog said he would "lead the battle to solve the housing crisis and all my ministers in the government I will form will be my soldiers." He thanked Shapira for what he called "a courageous report that proves the failure of Netanyahu, who did not do anything" to solve the housing crisis.
Former prime minister Ehud Olmert, who is criticized in the report, attacked Netanyahu while defending himself. He said that according to the Central Bureau of Statistics, in his four years as prime minister and finance minister, housing prices fell. He said they rose during the time of Netanyahu, who "after six years in power should look in the mirror and stop running from responsibility and looking for excuses."
Former finance minister Yair Lapid said the report proved his party\’s claims that Netanyahu is at fault for the housing crisis.