Israel Advances New Airport Project Near Gaza, Potentially Replacing Ramat David Plan

The Israeli government has approved the construction of a new airport near the city of Netivot, east of Gaza, with the project expected to open by early 2028. This airport, named "Tze'lag," is advancing rapidly and may lead to the cancellation of the Ramat David airport project in northern Israel. Despite concerns from local councils and criticism due to its proximity to Gaza and nearby Air Force training zones, recent agreements have been reached with local residents to move forward.

Stakeholders involved in the Ramat David project suggest that both airports might eventually be built, but others doubt this due to the massive multi-billion shekel investment required and unprecedented local opposition. The urgency for a secondary airport stems from soaring passenger numbers at Ben Gurion Airport, which recently set a record of approximately 85,000 passengers in one day during the "Roaring Lion" conflict. The Israel Airports Authority expects this record to be broken again soon.

In May 2024, Ben Gurion is projected to handle around 2.3 million passengers, despite more than half of foreign airlines not yet resuming flights to Israel. In 2019, before the war and the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport served about 24 million passengers annually, with forecasts estimating 40 million passengers by 2040. The new Tze'lag airport is planned to accommodate up to 10 million passengers per year, addressing the growing demand.

Additionally, fighter jets were scrambled recently to intercept a civilian plane en route to Israel amid expected summer travel surges. Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion Airport is also set to reopen for flights to help manage the increased passenger volume.