Dov Levi's Strategic Vision Strengthened West Bank Settlement Growth, Former Mayor Says

Benny Kashriel, former mayor of Maale Adumim and chairman of the Yesha Council, shared insights on the late Housing Minister Dov Levi's unique strategy for settlement development in the West Bank. The interview is part of the "Documentation of Pioneers and Founders of the Settlements" project by the Ministry of Heritage and the Council for the Preservation of Heritage Sites in Israel, aiming to preserve the history of settlement establishment across various regions.

Kashriel, who worked closely with Levi as deputy director-general and later as deputy minister in the Ministry of Housing and Construction, described Levi as a mentor who combined ideological commitment with pragmatic planning. Unlike Ariel Sharon, who advocated for establishing small settlements on every hilltop overlooking Route 60, Levi promoted building a continuous urban backbone of cities along the West Bank to create a stable presence that could not be removed.

This approach led to the development of major settlements such as Kiryat Arba, Efrat, Maale Adumim, Givat Ze'ev, and Ariel, contributing to a population of approximately 550,000 residents. Kashriel emphasized that Levi's vision ultimately prevailed and is now recognized internationally, including by Palestinians, as an irreversible reality.

The project includes hundreds of interviews documenting the founding stories of settlements in regions including the Jordan Valley, Judea, Samaria, Benjamin, the Golan Heights, and the Galilee. The full interview with Kashriel is available through the project’s platform.