The struggle for Clear Skies is over

Modiin city council, with all of its 17 council members present, discussed Wednesday evening the proposal submitted by Alex Weinreb to submit a petition to Bagatz against the CAA decision to establish a new landing path for commercial jet planes at height of approximately 400 meters over the heart of Modiin-Maccabim-Reut. Only ~15 residents heeded our call to come to vote, and 50 residents sent emails to the city council members.

Council member Danny Rosenfeld was predominant in the discussion, asking challenging questions and claiming that without a binding legal agreement we have no guarantees that the “forecast” presented by the CAA of 5-10 flights per day over Modiin that will end by December 2011, will indeed materialize. But Rosenfeld’s arguments were dismissed.

According to reports we received, council member Levana Shifman (#2 on Weinreb’s Greens list) was very persistent in the discussion on the flights held Monday night in the coalition management forum, and asked challenging questions. That discussion ended with a coalition management decision that supports the process led by mayor Bibas and Deputy Mayor Bernstein, and opposes the proposal to appeal to Bagatz against the CAA decision. Coalition members are expected to adhere in their vote in city council regarding matters discussed and decided in the coalition management forum.

When Alex Weinreb’s proposal was brought to a vote, it was supported only by council members Weinreb & Rosenfeld. All the other council members present supported the counter proposal submitted by mayor Bibas, describing the management forum decision. Council member Levana Shifman left the meeting room just prior to the vote.

Mayor Bibas said he plans to file a lawsuit for loss of property value due to the CAA decision, but that will have no impact on the decision itself. According to the information presented to council members, the prospect of success for such a lawsuit are deemed very slim.

Mayor Bibas continued to disseminate disinformation during the meeting, and adamantly refused the request of council member Danny Rosenfeld to allow the Clear Skies delegates to present words to city council – even though that it is a common practice to do so when groups struggling for a come to city council (examples: parents from Reut school, resident struggling for a synagogue in Maccabim, residents struggling against cellular antennas – all got their say).

We are now at the mercy of the CAA and the Airport Authority, and we can only hope that their forecast – of 5-10 flights per day over Modiin that will end by December 2011 - will indeed materialize. The flights are due to start July 1st.


Senior CAA and Airport Authority officials laugh in our faces in a meeting held September 2009 – they knew why (photo: Eli Gal)

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