Givat Ze'ev Officially Declared a City, Marking Historic Status Upgrade

Givat Ze'ev was officially declared a city in Israel on Sunday, changing its status from a local council to a municipality following the final signature of the Central Command chief on the decree. This declaration concludes a comprehensive professional process by the Ministry of Interior and the Geographic Committee. Currently, the settlement has about 25,000 registered residents, with nearly 35,000 actually living there, and is noted for one of the highest growth rates in the country.

The upgrade aims to align the municipal framework with the planned development scale and improve services for residents. Givat Ze'ev's mayor, Yossi Asraf, called the moment historic and emphasized that city status is a significant boost for the Jerusalem periphery settlement. He stated that the change will enable better municipal service provision, lead development processes, and manage growth challenges effectively.

Despite the new status and development momentum, Asraf assured that the city would maintain its warm, community-oriented, and rural atmosphere, which he described as the city's beating heart. He thanked the Central Command chief and all professional bodies involved and pledged to continue working vigorously to advance the city’s achievements and residents' quality of life.