Israel Rebuilds Gaza Border Roads Amid Funding Gaps for Northern Front
Translated & summarized from Globes by baba
Israel's Netivei Israel company has completed significant road repairs and infrastructure improvements in the Gaza border region following the October 7th attacks, investing approximately 250 million shekels. However, a parallel rehabilitation plan for the northern border with Lebanon, budgeted at 600 million shekels, has faced severe funding delays. Despite government approvals, the CEO of Netivei Israel publicly criticized the lack of funds for the north, leading to a partial transfer of money. Disputes between the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Finance continue over the allocation of the northern budget.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Netivei Israel has invested approximately 250 million shekels in rehabilitating roads and infrastructure in the Gaza border region after October 7th.
- Rehabilitation efforts in the Gaza border region included immediate repairs, extensive upgrades to Highway 232, and new infrastructure projects.
- A 600 million shekel plan to repair transport infrastructure in the northern border region with Lebanon has been significantly delayed.
- The CEO of Netivei Israel publicly stated that no funds for the northern rehabilitation plan have been received.
- Following the CEO's public appeal, 164 million shekels were transferred for the northern projects.
- Disputes between the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Finance are causing delays in funding the northern projects.
Following the October 7th attacks, Netivei Israel (Israel's National Roads Company) rapidly initiated a three-stage plan to repair roads in the Gaza border region. The first stage focused on immediate repairs to address damage from tanks and burnt vehicles, costing approximately 26 million shekels and involving the removal of 1,700 vehicles. The second stage involved extensive rehabilitation, including significant work on Highway 232, a key artery for the western Negev, with a budget exceeding 100 million shekels. The third stage aimed to improve access, safety, and infrastructure, with projects like a new intersection at the Re'im site costing 4.5 million shekels and a bypass for Nativ Ha'asara costing 46 million shekels. To date, around 250 million shekels have been invested in the southern rehabilitation program.
Longer-term projects in the south include planning for Highway 23 as an alternative to Highway 232 and the construction of the Shdema interchange, estimated at 450 million shekels. The recently opened Highway 334, also known as the Sderot bypass, connects Highway 232 and Highway 34.
In contrast, the rehabilitation plan for the northern border region, designated "Shachar LaTzafon" (Dawn for the North), aims to repair and develop transport infrastructure within 9 kilometers of the Lebanese border, with a budget of approximately 600 million shekels. This plan addresses war damage and aims for long-term improvements. However, progress in the north has been significantly slower than in the south. While southern projects are visible, the north faces challenges due to multiple scattered locations and proximity to the border.
Nissim Peretz, CEO of Netivei Israel, highlighted this disparity, stating that while southern projects received full support, the north has not yet received its allocated funds. He noted that despite government decisions and his own personal connection to the area, not a single shekel for the northern infrastructure has arrived, though safety-related measures have been funded from other budgets. Following Peretz's public remarks, 164 million shekels were transferred to Netivei Israel, though the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Finance have been in dispute over the budget's allocation, with the Ministry of Transportation blaming the Treasury for delays in providing the necessary funds.
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