Settlement history
Beit El to Double Within Five Years
Government signs new plan in Beit El that will double the size of the biggest settlement in Binyamin within five years. Binyamin Regional Brigade will move from current base, which will become housing. Population expected to grow from 7,000 to over 14,000, along with infrastructure, transportation upgrades.
The Binyamin Regional Brigade base in Beit El will be evacuated under an agreement signed on Tuesday, clearing the way for the construction of approximately 1,200 new housing units, significant expansion of the community, and major transportation infrastructure development in the area.
The agreement, signed at a ceremony in Beit El, formalizes the relocation of the brigade base after nearly 38 years of operation and marks the largest development initiative in the community’s history. According to government and local officials, the plan is expected to nearly double Beit El’s population within five years, from about 7,000 residents to roughly 14,000.
Finance Minister and Defense Ministry Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who attended the ceremony, described the move as a strategic milestone in strengthening Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. He said the project goes beyond residential construction and includes extensive infrastructure investments, particularly in transportation.
Smotrich noted ongoing work to widen Route 60 toward Jerusalem and announced that a tender is expected in the coming months to expand the road connecting Beit El to the Givat Assaf junction into a dual-lane, dual-carriageway highway. He said the upgrades are intended to improve security, safety, and quality of life for residents.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the evacuation reflects the government’s continued commitment to settlement development in Judea and Samaria, arguing that civilian growth contributes directly to improved security conditions. He described the move as part of a broader effort to proactively address threats facing communities in the Binyamin region.
Senior IDF officials present at the ceremony included Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, Binyamin Brigade commander Col. Anan Fares, and Civil Administration head Brig. Gen. Hisham Ibrahim. Beit El local council head Shai Alon said coordination with the military and government ministries would begin immediately to implement the evacuation and advance planning for residential neighborhoods, access roads, and public infrastructure.
Smotrich also reiterated his long-standing opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state, describing it as a core principle guiding his policy decisions.
Local officials described the relocation as a historic transition from military use to civilian development, creating a contiguous urban and infrastructural expansion for Beit El. A memorandum signed between the government and the local council framed the move as a long-term commitment to growth, community consolidation, and improved living standards.
The Binyamin Regional Brigade base, constructed in the 1980s, has served as a central military installation in the area. Planning for its evacuation and the subsequent development is expected to move forward in the coming weeks.