Israeli PM's Office Tours Site for New Settlement in West Bank

Representatives from the Prime Minister's Office conducted a tour on Thursday of the planned site for a new settlement, "Metzokei Eretz," along the Alon Road in the Benjamin region of the West Bank. The visit is part of the preparations for the first group of families to move to the location.

The tour included the head of the Benjamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, Yisrael Gantz, and the chairman of the Settlement Division, Yishai Merling. During the visit, plans for the settlement's establishment, challenges on the ground, and the strategic importance of the location were reviewed. The Prime Minister's Office representatives are examining the necessary steps to advance the settlement's establishment, while the council and the Settlement Division presented their needs for government assistance and emphasized the importance of cooperation for infrastructure development.

"Metzokei Eretz" is slated to be the first official, regulated settlement established along the Alon Road in many years. This road serves as a key eastern artery connecting the Judean Mountains to the Jordan Valley, an area where agricultural farms have been established in recent years.

Yisrael Gantz highlighted the Alon Road's strategic significance, noting it is named after Yigal Allon, a proponent of security-based settlement. He stated, "This area is the connection between Israel's eastern border and the Judean Mountains and the heart of the country." Gantz added that "Metzokei Eretz" will be a "cliff" of settlement, community, and security in the area, referencing its name which translates to "Cliffs of the Land." He further emphasized the settlement's role in defending Israel's eastern border against threats from Iran and the Houthis, drawing a parallel to historical journeys towards Shiloh and Jerusalem.