Finance Minister Smotrich Unveils Plan to Add One Million Jewish Residents in Negev and Galilee
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, presented a comprehensive national initiative titled "Yes. We Judaize!" aimed at significantly expanding Jewish settlement in Israel's Negev and Galilee regions. The plan sets an ambitious target to increase the Jewish population by one million through establishing 40 new communities and dozens of farms, alongside substantial expansion of existing settlements and creation of hundreds of thousands of housing units.
The initiative also includes efforts to cancel recent development plans approved in Arab localities that have taken over large land reserves, which the party views as threatening Jewish settlement growth. To implement this vision, Religious Zionism intends to demand control over the Planning Administration and Israel Land Authority (ILA) in the next government, aiming to overhaul land and planning mechanisms. This includes legislative changes, removing bureaucratic obstacles, shortening planning and marketing processes, and appointing professionals with Zionist-nationalist perspectives to key positions.
The plan further proposes significant incentives to encourage relocation to the Negev and Galilee, focusing on reservists, active military personnel, doctors, educators, and tech workers. It also calls for the development and expansion of industrial and employment zones modeled after regional hubs like Tziporit, with investments in transportation, education, health, and infrastructure.
A critical component involves restoring governance and security by intensifying efforts to collect illegal weapons, combat crime organizations, and enhance enforcement against illegal construction and land seizures. Smotrich emphasized the need for tools and committed personnel to execute these policies, referencing prior successes in Judea and Samaria. He stated, "We will return Zionism as the compass of planning and land systems," underscoring the plan's goal to provide families moving to these regions not just homes but futures, while reasserting state responsibility for the Negev and Galilee.
