Finance minister unveils plan to boost Jewish settlement in Negev and Galilee
Israel's far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich announced a strategy to increase the Jewish population in the Negev and Galilee, targeting one million new residents and dozens of new communities.
In a statement posted on X, Israel's finance minister Bezalel Smotrich outlined a comprehensive scheme to "Judaize" the Negev and Galilee, regions that host sizable Arab Israeli communities. Drawing a parallel to the settlement surge in Judea and Samaria, he set a target of one million additional Jewish residents, the creation of 40 new settlements, expanded agricultural projects, and the construction of hundreds of thousands of housing units.
Existing Arab community plans would be halted, and new industrial and employment zones would be established, with a push to install Zionist professionals in influential positions. Smotrich's party, part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, is polling around the electoral threshold as the Oct. 27 elections approach. The proposal underscores ongoing demographic and political tensions within Israel's diverse society.
Why it matters
The plan could reshape Israel's demographic balance and intensify ethnic tensions ahead of a pivotal election.
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