VOLVO Travel times featured in devel- opers' advertisements say Modi'in is just 20-25 minutes from Tel Aviv and about the same distance from Jerusalem. But at rush hour, it takes at least three times as long. There are plans to widen the roads from Modi'in to Highway 1 and Highway 443. But until this happens, residents will have to drive through the few narrow roads on which there are more and more accidents. Trains are slated to run from the city, but the im- plementation of this plan is a long way off. Many potential buyers fear that public buildings will not be com- plete by the time they are ready to move in. The Housing Ministry only recently published a tender inviting contractors to build two schools, while additional tenders for construction of another two schools, kindergartens, syna- gogues and other amenities will only be published in the coming weeks. Modi'in's development has also been stalled by residents of the neighboring towns of Re'ut and Maccabim, who appealed to the Israel Supreme Court to prevent marketing of apartments. Devel- opment was also slowed by envi- ronmentalists' protests and those of religious groups fearful that an burial grounds would be un- covered. Avi Zitterenboim, general man- ager of real estate chain Reshet Igud HaNadlan, says Modi'in has a rosy future despite existing hard- ships. "The government has made several mistakes in the past but it is possible to amend the situa- tion. This city will quickly become popular. "Whoever thinks Modi'in is stuck with its problems is not only wrong but is also misleading the public. Modi'in will be a new and modern city, the first of its kind since the establishment of the State of Israel ... In a few years many people will be sorry they did not buy an apartment in Modi'in, for themselves and for their chil- dren. It is going to be the city of the future." Not everyone is as optimistic as Mr. Zitterenboim. Roni Mizrahi, general manager of Mizrahi and Sons, says the solution to the coun- try's overcrowding problems is in places like Rishon Lezion. 'We are engaged in construction of hun- dreds of apartments and cottages in 29 developments in nine cities but are not even constructing one apartment in Modi'in," he said. II] Companies Fined For Violations Washington (JTA) — The Com- merce Department slapped three companies with civil penalties this week for allegedly violating the anti-boycott provisions of the Export Administration Act and Regulations. While the companies — Habib Bank Ltd., of New York, Jack Schwartz Shoes, Inc., also of New York, and the Texas-based Im- port Export Management Ser- vices — agreed to pay the penalties, they neither admitted nor denied the alleged violations. The Commerce Department fined Habib Bank Ltd., a branch of a Pakistani bank, $60,000 for allegedly giving information about other people's business re- lationships with Israel to the United Arab Emirates and Oman on five occasions between Feb- ruary 1988 and February 1992. In addition, the bank alleged- ly failed to report receiving 84 boycott-related requests from those countries, as required by the Export Administration Act and Regulations. Jack Schwartz Shoes, Inc., an athletic shoe manufacturer, agreed to pay a $15,000 penalty for alleged violations involving four transactions with a Saudi Arabian company, the Commerce Department said. The department also alleged that between March and April 1992, the company gave infor- mation to a U.S. bank about its own and a second company's business dealings with Israel. Import Export Management Services, an office supply ex- porter, allegedly gave informa- tion about its business relationships with Israel to a Syr- ian company in May 1993. The company also failed to re- port two requests for boycott-re- lated information, one from Syria and one from Kuwait, the Com- merce Department reported. The company will pay a $7,500 civil penalty. Drive Safely For Less. New '96 850 GLT SEDAN per month 36 month lease • 36 Mo. Closed-end Lease • 150 Per Mile Over 36,000 • $425 Sec. Deposit CONVENIENT DWYER • $495 Acquisition Fee HOURS • Purchase Option $20,785 ANDSO N S VOLVO Open 'di 9 p.m. • Total Obligation = Pymt. x36 on Mondays &Thursdays; Maple Rd. West of Haggarty • Plus Tax, litle & Plates, and 624-0400 81999 Cap Cost Reduction Saturdays until 4 p.m. SUBARU® IheBeauofAll-WheelDrive: ICL Stake Is Sold Jerusalem — Following Israel Chemical's aborted foreign issue last month, the ministerial pri- vatization committee agreed to sell 28 percent of the govern- ment's 48.5 percent stake in the company. The committee authorized the Government Companies Au- thority to sell the shares either as a single package to a single pri- vate investor or as several pack- ages to several investors. It also said the authority could sell shares little by little during reg- ular trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The authority can use either option or combine them, the Treasury reported. About three months ago, the Eisenberg group bought a con- trolling stake of 24.5 percent of the company's shares. The pub- lic owns about 26 percent of the shares. $389 • Leather • Moonroof • Side Impact Airbags • Cold Weather package • Traction Control CHOOSE FROM 10 IN STOCK • • • • New '96 Legacy Wagon All-Wheel Drive ABS, Dual Airbags Luggage Rack, Loaded $29500 per month 24 month lease *24-month closed-end lease. 100 per mile over 24,000. Due at inception: 1st pymt., $350 sec. dep., $450 acq. fee, $1000 cap. cost reduction, plus applicable taxes, title & license. Total obligation = pymt. x 24. 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