The government on Sunday approved a proposal by Construction and Housing Minister Haim Katz and Settlements Minister Orit Struck to establish five new community settlements in the eastern Be'er Sheva metropolitan area.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that one of the new communities will be named “Rannanim," in memory of Ran Gvili, the last hostage.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the decision is part of a broader national initiative aimed at strengthening the Negev, reinforcing Israel’s strategic areas, and deepening civilian and security presence in the south.
The plan has received approval from the National Council for Planning and Building and will move forward with detailed planning, infrastructure development, and the creation of a regional employment and services center. Settlement is expected to take place in stages as part of a comprehensive strategy to bolster the Negev’s economic, civilian, and security resilience.
Speaking at the cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said the decision continues what he described as growing momentum in the development of southern Israel, calling the approval of five new communities a “significant settlement step" for the region.
Minister Katz said the initiative along Route 25 is a national and strategic mission that will expand housing supply, strengthen the Negev, and create a continuous construction corridor between Be'er Sheva and Dimona.
Minister Struck said advancing new communities in the northern Negev is a long-standing strategic goal, adding that the project is intended to change the landscape of the central Negev and enhance stability in the area. She praised interministerial cooperation in advancing what she described as a key national objective.