Government Will Invest 1 Billion Shekel in Golan, North
The plan aims to strengthen population growth, infrastructure, and economic development in the region, with a target of bringing 3,000 new families to the Golan Heights and Katzrin by the end of the decade.
The government has approved a five-year development plan for the Golan Heights and Katzrin, allocating approximately NIS 1 billion for the years 2026 to 2030.
The plan aims to strengthen population growth, infrastructure, and economic development in the region, with a target of bringing 3,000 new families to the Golan Heights and Katzrin by the end of the decade.
The initiative was finalized following a meeting earlier this week between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Katzrin Local Council head Yehuda Dua, and Golan Regional Council head Uri Kellner.
According to officials, the plan includes investments in higher education and research, including the establishment of a branch of the University of Kiryat Shmona in Katzrin, along with a new faculty and a veterinary hospital. Additional funding will go toward improving public services, expanding employment opportunities, and promoting tourism and innovation in the region.
Netanyahu linked the development push to broader strategic goals, noting past US recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and describing the initiative as part of a “massive development surge.”
At the same time, details of the plan indicate a shift toward expanding existing communities rather than establishing new settlements, with the housing target focused on construction within current localities.
The program also introduces performance-based incentives, offering financial grants to local authorities based on their success in meeting housing and population growth targets.
However, concerns have been raised about increased central government oversight. Much of the funding and planning authority will be routed through the Directorate of Tnufa for the North, requiring local councils to obtain approval for key decisions, a move critics say could limit municipal autonomy.
The plan comes after a previous government initiative to double the population in the Golan Heights and Katzrin failed to meet its targets, in part due to the impact of the ongoing war.
Officials say the new framework is designed to address structural economic challenges in the region, including lower-than-average wages, limited employment opportunities, and geographic isolation from major urban centers.