Experts Warn Netanyahu: Planning Changes Could Hinder Negev and Galilee Settlement
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Over 300 Israeli planning professionals have warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that proposed changes to national planning laws could hinder settlement expansion in the Negev and Galilee. The experts argue that "amendment 5" to TAMA 35 will increase costs and complicate procedures, contradicting government goals to strengthen these regions. They are calling for the amendment to be halted and re-evaluated, citing concerns about disparities in planning policy and the potential negative impact on Jewish settlement growth.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Over 300 Israeli professionals urged PM Netanyahu to halt planning changes that could block settlement growth.
- Experts warn amendment 5 to TAMA 35 will increase construction costs and complicate procedures.
- The warning comes amid government plans to strengthen Jewish settlement in the Negev and Galilee.
- Professionals cite stricter housing density rules and additional review requirements as major obstacles.
- They also raise concerns about disparities in planning policy between Jewish and Arab communities.
- Eran Rolls called the amendment an "existential danger" to Jewish settlement in the regions.
Hundreds of planning, construction, and development professionals have urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to halt proposed changes to Israel's national outline plan (TAMA 35), warning that the amendments could impede settlement expansion in the Negev and Galilee. In an urgent letter, over 300 experts argue that "amendment 5" to TAMA 35 will make it harder to expand communities, increase construction costs, and complicate planning procedures.
The appeal comes amid government declarations to strengthen Jewish settlement in these regions. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has spoken of a campaign to "Judaize" the Negev and Galilee and advance legislation to encourage settlement, while Minister of Settlement Affairs Orit Strock is promoting legislation for establishing isolated farms, similar to models in the West Bank.
According to the Zionist Planning Institute, the proposed amendment introduces significant obstacles to expanding rural communities, including stricter requirements for housing unit size and building density, and necessitates additional planning documents and reviews even for small expansion projects. The professionals estimate these demands could add years to procedures and hundreds of thousands of shekels to each project's cost.
Professionals are concerned that government promises to attract new populations and establish new settlements will remain unfulfilled without changes to the planning requirements. They are calling on Netanyahu to halt the amendment and reassess its impact on the growth of communities in Israel's periphery. The signatories also pointed to a perceived disparity in planning policy, noting that alongside proposed restrictions on rural settlements, plans for tens of thousands of housing units in Arab communities are advancing, along with efforts to regulate unauthorized construction.
Eran Rolls, Chairman of the Israeli Building Center, described the amendment as an "existential danger" that threatens to erase the rural character and halt Jewish growth and presence in the area. He urged the Prime Minister and ministers to "wake up" and revise the plan to ensure genuine development pathways for families in the Negev and Galilee, safeguarding the future of northern and southern Israel.
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