Israeli Planning Council Approves Expansion of Key Road Connecting East and West Binyamin

The Higher Planning Council has approved the deposit of a plan to double the width of Road 465, a central east-west artery in the Binyamin region. This project aims to enhance safety, reduce travel times, and strengthen connectivity between local communities and central Israel. The road expansion will pass near the settlements of Neve Tzuf, Atarot, and the new community of Mashal, improving transportation infrastructure in the area.

The plan was developed over several years in cooperation with the Binyamin Regional Council and planning authorities. Israel Gantz, head of the Binyamin Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, welcomed the approval, calling it a significant strategic and transportation move that will improve residents' quality of life and facilitate the arrival of hundreds of thousands of new residents to the region. Gantz emphasized the project’s political message, stating it counters the Palestinian Authority and Hamas influence by reinforcing Israeli development and settlement in the area.

Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich also praised the initiative, highlighting its importance for safety, security, and quality of life. He described the road doubling as a major milestone in the ongoing infrastructure revolution in Judea and Samaria, underscoring Israel’s continued practical development of the land.

The upgraded Road 465 is expected to become a highway connecting central Israel to the Jordan Valley, enabling faster and safer travel from Shoham and Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem in the coming years.