The government today (Sunday) approved a proposal by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to amend a previous decision regarding the establishment of supplementary airports to Ben Gurion Airport.
Under the decision, the supplementary airport in the south will be built in Ziklag in the Negev, instead of Nevatim. It was also determined that the advancement of the Ziklag airport will be accelerated to the same planning level as Ramat David, in order to establish two civilian international airports in the north and south without delay.
The decision was adopted following a discussion held by the prime minister with the transportation minister and Deputy Minister Almog Cohen. The move is intended to address the expected growth in passenger traffic and to prepare for preventing an aviation crisis, in light of Ben Gurion Airport’s anticipated arrival at a capacity ceiling of approximately 40 million passengers per year.
The government statement noted that without the establishment of additional civilian airports, there is a risk of a shortage in flight supply, rising prices, and a worsening of the cost-of-living burden. It further emphasized that additional airports carry strategic importance in terms of emergency preparedness and operational continuity.
According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the establishment of the airport "will be a tremendous catalyst for the development of the Negev: for employment, for accessibility, for tourism - alongside complementary infrastructure of roads and trains, as well as various ancillary industries and businesses that emerge near an airport. We have seen this everywhere in the world, including in Israel."
He added that "this is a part of our vision. A true vision for developing and settling the Negev and eliminating the 'periphery'. I have always said: government infrastructure plus private initiative, and this is the classic combination in the case of this massive anchor."
"At the same time, we are also advancing the establishment of an additional airport in the north, at Ramat David. Only by doing so will we be able to truly meet the growing demand of tourists and the air traffic of many millions who come to the country every year - and even more will come - and of Israeli citizens flying abroad."
Netanyahu thanked Minister Miri Regev, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and "the man of the south, Almog Cohen, who never stops urging me to advance this tremendous catalyst for the development of the Negev. They all worked hand-in-hand to put this important decision on the government table today. I instructed on advancing it as quickly as possible, and so, with God's help, we shall do."
The Prime Minister concluded: "When I say 'as quickly as possible', since the North is currently ahead, we must push Ziklag forward with great urgency. We want the development of the Negev, the infrastructure we moved down there, the relocation of IDF bases to the south, and other elements that have combined together - and this requires pushing hard right now to close the gap between Ziklag and Ramat David. These are tremendous, real catalysts for growth for the State of Israel, both in the north and the south. Both will be established in parallel as quickly as possible."