Israel’s Cabinet approved Dec. 26 a 1 billion-shekel ($317 million) plan for encouraging demographic and economic growth in the Golan Heights. Aiming at doubling the Israeli population there up to 100,000 residents, the government plans to approve the construction of 3,300 new housing units in the already existing town of Katzrin, the construction of some 4,000 units throughout the Golan Regional Council and the construction of 4,000 new housing units in two new villages to be soon established in the Golan Heights — Asif and Matar. A special planning committee will be set up, to fast-forward the production of a national master development plan and for eliminating bureaucratic red tape for issuing construction permits.

The allocated funds will support regional development, affordable housing, creation of employment, construction of tourism, education and transportation infrastructure, establishment of medicine facilities, and more. The government hopes to construct two new hotels and create at least 2,000 new jobs.

The decision, announced already in principle last October, was formally taken at the Dec. 26 weekly Cabinet meeting, which took place not in Jerusalem, as usual, but at Kibbutz Mevo Hama in the Golan Heights.

Speaking at that meeting, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said, “This is our moment. This is the moment of the Golan Heights. After long and static years in terms of the scope of settlement, our goal today is to double settlement in the Golan Heights.” Bennett commended the former Trump administration for recognizing at the time Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and the Biden administration for preserving this policy. He also said the Golan Heights will become Israel’s capital of renewable energy technologies.