Environmentalists oppose Israeli plan to double Golan Heights population
Nature protection groups are opposing the recent plan by the government to build more villages and add to the population on the Golan Heights.
Some dramatic declarations emerged from the special Cabinet meeting Dec. 26 at Kibbutz Mevo Hama in the Golan Heights. The meeting opened with a statement by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett: “This is our moment. This is the moment for the Golan Heights. A combination of circumstances has led us today to a dramatic government decision to channel considerable resources, around NIS 1 billion, to strengthening communities on the Golan Heights.”
Bennett was of course well aware that the international community, considering the Golan Heights occupied territory, would not welcome this plan with open arms. Thus, he tried to overcome the diplomatic obstacle by citing American support for Israel’s control of the region, with the Trump administration recognizing Israel sovereignty and the Biden administration not retracting from this policy.
He then promised to expand settlements in the Golan Heights by adding new neighborhoods to the town of Katzrin and constructing two new villages. “Our goal today is to double the population of the Golan Heights. To this end, we will strengthen the city of Katzrin with two new neighborhoods, the 12th and 13th quarters. To this end, we will establish two new communities on the Golan Heights, Asif and Matar. We are increasing community life here.”
The decision approved by the government includes more than half a billion shekels for planning and creating the necessary infrastructures to add 7,300 housing units in the next five years. These are to be divided as follows: 3,300 units in Katzrin, and 4,064 units among the various settlements of the Golan Regional Council. The latter will include several hundred units in the Trump Heights village, whose first residents are already living in temporary housing at the site until their permanent homes are built. Another 4,000 housing units are planned for the two villages of Asif and Matar. All in all, the target of the government’s decision is to double the number of residents in the Golan and Katzrin in the coming years by adding another 23,000 people to the region.
