The results of the recent Israeli elections and the sharp rise in the strength of the Arab parties present us with a reality that can no longer be ignored.
As someone involved in real estate, planning and land who founded the Zionist Planning Institute with an eye toward the future, I have been identifying developments on the ground for years.
I know that the seats won at the ballot box are not merely a matter of immediate political significance. They reflect a deeper demographic and land-related process unfolding in the Negev and the Galilee; one that demands immediate action from Israel’s leadership.
A look at the data reveals that in extensive parts of the Negev and the Galilee, the Jewish population is now a minority. These are strategic regions of the State of Israel. Moreover, the memories of the May 2021 Operation Guardian of the Walls riots remain deeply etched in our minds. We witnessed entire communities in the Galilee finding themselves under siege and cut off after major roads were blocked.
These events, together with the lessons of Oct. 7, must make one thing clear to all of us: We cannot afford to wait. The abandonment of these areas, the absence of effective governance and the weakening of settlement in the periphery raise serious questions about our ability to maintain our presence in these regions in the future.
This is not merely a national security issue. First and foremost, it affects the residents themselves, Jews and Arabs alike.
The absence of effective governance, orderly planning and a strong state presence in the Galilee and the Negev has allowed criminal organizations and protection rackets to flourish. Those who suffer from this reality in their daily lives are, first and foremost, Arab citizens of Israel, who pay a heavy price in the form of diminished personal security and the absence of law and order.
Restoring governance and making massive investments in planning and development are not measures directed against the Arab population. Their purpose is to establish order, eradicate crime and improve the quality of life for all residents.
To address this national challenge, the time has come to put our differences aside and establish a broad Zionist government. It is time to stop treating planning and construction as merely bureaucratic or real-estate matters. Planning is one of the most important Zionist tools for determining borders and securing the future of the state.
What must the government do first thing tomorrow morning?
First, it must launch a comprehensive national plan, immediately revise planning policies and remove the barriers preventing the expansion of moshavim, kibbutzim and community settlements in the Negev and the Galilee.
Today, financial barriers, density requirements and high land prices prevent young people from building their homes in the country’s periphery. The state must subsidize land, provide substantial incentives for young couples and create accessible housing solutions that can be implemented quickly.
Second, a national five-year plan is needed to strengthen infrastructure, transportation accessibility and employment engines in the north and south, alongside the establishment of determined law enforcement and policing bodies to restore effective governance and personal security.
The challenge before us cannot be postponed. If we fail to wake up now, harness the power of planning and implement a fundamental policy shift on the ground, we will wake up to a reality that will be extremely difficult to reverse.
We have a national and moral obligation to future generations: to build, settle and strengthen the Negev and the Galilee.
