Of course you know what reaction he got at this conference a year ago, when he said it.The minister of housing says:
"a national duty... populations that should not mix are spreading... I don't think that it is appropriate [for them] to live together"
I'm not spewing bullshit, I'm quoting the government.
it would be interested to know whether or not he's been rebuked by more senior people. Sure enough after further investigation
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/ariel-atias-one-minister-for-all-1.7932
Last week, the new housing and construction minister held a festive press conference to announce that 5,300 apartments would be put on the market. Yet to his shock, he found himself lashed by criticism, after it turned out about half of the land was in Beit Shemesh and Kiryat Gat. Both cities in recent years have been identified with the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) sector.
Most of the rest of the land was in "low-demand" areas - nobody wants to go there.
Clearly, that wasn't what the market had been expecting.
"Contractors heard what he had to say and snorted," said a source in the real estate business. "For years Beit Shemesh has been considered out of the question for those who are not Haredi. In Kiryat Gat, the only people buying land in Israel Lands Administration tender offers in recent years have been ultra-Orthodox Gur Hasidim."
Anyone hoping for something more relevant as a solution to the perennial land shortage in Israel's crowded center was likely underwhelmed by the "flood" of 12 apartments in Tel Aviv or 130 apartments in Netanya, the source added.
By a coincidence of timing, or perhaps not, one day after the press conference, the National Planning and Building Council was to debate the plan which Atias, who is from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, was promoting to establish Harish. That's a new city for the Haredi sector in the predominantly Arab Wadi Ara area of the north.
Critics needed no more to label Atias another ultra-Orthodox party politician who was looking after only his constituency.
"It's impossible to escape the feeling that Atias is looking after only the ultra-Orthodox sector," said a senior real estate industry official. "On one hand, he's saying from every dais that he wants to flood the country with plots of land and thereby lower apartment prices. But in practice, the only ones benefiting from his great efforts are the ultra-Orthodox. What about the secular public? Israeli government ministers are supposed to look after every sector of the population."
Atias has heard the complaints, and they ruffle him. But he says that " It's not true."
So you don't just look after the ultra-Orthodox sector?
"I am not hiding, and will not do so in the future, that it's part of my job to look after the Haredi sector. But do I only look after them, ignoring secular people? That's far from the truth."
The land that was offered for sale and the attention to Harish benefit only the ultra-Orthodox sector. ..................................
The article goes on, but this is the gist of it message