Smotrich presents ambitious goal: one million Jews to the Negev and Galilee
The Religious Zionism party presented a plan to expand Jewish settlement in the Negev and Galilee. As part of it, it proposes planning and land changes, incentives for relocation, employment zones, and investment in infrastructure.…
Assessment
The Religious Zionism party is rolling out a settlement expansion plan for the Negev and Galilee with a target of one million Jewish residents. The proposal bundles land-use changes, relocation incentives, job zones, and infrastructure spending alongside promises to crack down on illegal weapons, crime, and unauthorized construction. This is a political platform announcement, not a government policy, so watch whether it gets budget backing or remains a campaign plank. The framing ties demographic goals directly to enforcement against non-Jewish building, which will sharpen existing tensions over land and planning in these regions.