The Defense Ministry's Engineering and Construction Department, together with the IDF's Technological and Logistics Directorate, began work to evacuate two IDF bases.
The first base being evacuated is Camp "Beit Dagan," located at Beit Dagan Junction. This base served for dozens of years as the Maintenance and Rehabilitation Center, until it was deserted several years ago.
The Beit Dagan base is spread over 21.7 acres (88 dunams), and includes 279,861.7 square feet (26,000 square meters) of buildings and infrastructure - all of which will need to be destroyed in order to widen Highway 44 and allow for the planned residential buildings.
The second base is Delek Ashdod, in Ashdod's industrial zone.
Delek Ashdod began functioning during the Six Day War, and continued to serve as one of the IDF's main gas providers for dozens of years afterwards.
The base is spread over 20.5 acres (83 dunams) of land, and includes 129,166.9 square feet (12,000 square meters) of buildings and infrastructure, all of which will need to be destroyed in order to allow for the growth of Ashdod's industrial zone.
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) said, "It's very important to evacuate and destroy old IDF bases around the country. This will help us ease the housing crisis, improve infrastructure in the various regions, and strengthen the periphery."
"I am personally following these processes, which to me are of national, economic, and social importance."
Engineering and Construction Department Head Erez Cohen said, "In the past year, the Defense Ministry has evacuated approximately 1,000 dunams (247 square feet) of land in Israel's center, and near big cities. The Beit Dagan and Delek Ashdod army bases join the training bases in Tzrifin, Nes Ziona, and Tirat in Tirat Hacarmel, which were already evacuated."
"In the coming year, we will evacuate more army bases, and allow for the construction of thousands of new housing units."