A special caucus meeting focused on strengthening Jewish construction in the Galilee was held Sunday at the Knesset, led by MK Tzvika Foghel and Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee member MK Amit Halevi, in cooperation with the Forum for the Judaization of the Galilee headed by Dr. Ruth Kabsa-Abramzon.
During the meeting, participants presented a framework for a comprehensive master plan aimed at encouraging Jewish occupancy in the Galilee amid what organizers described as growing security, demographic and national challenges in the region.
Among those attending were Minister Amichai Chikli, Minister Ze'ev Elkin, World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel, Hatzor HaGalilit Regional Council head Michael Kavesa, and representatives from several organizations involved in Jewish occupancy and regional development initiatives.
Foghel said the Galilee had become a critical test of Israeli sovereignty and warned that the region faces mounting threats due to illegal weapons, the departure of young residents and years of neglect. “This is not a struggle between right and left. It is time to move to a Zionist offensive of construction, Jewish occupancy, and governance in order to secure the future of the Galilee and the State of Israel."
Halevi said the situation in the Galilee requires a major policy shift, adding that the caucus intends to place Jewish occupancy back at the center of the national agenda. “We will work to establish policies that preserve national lands and reshape planning, occupancy and enforcement systems. This is essential for the future and security of the state."
Chikli sharply criticized past policies involving the Israel Land Authority, claiming previous leadership had harmed efforts to strengthen Jewish occupancy in the Galilee. He pointed to the recent appointment of Yehuda Eliyahu as head of the authority as a major development. “In recent years we fought on every front to change a reality that poses an existential danger."
Elkin told participants that preserving a Jewish majority in northern border communities is a strategic national interest. He highlighted government goals to bring 100,000 new residents to northern Israel while also strengthening communities in the Golan Heights. He also referenced legislation aimed at encouraging donations for Zionist occupancy initiatives and tax incentives designed to support development in the Galilee.
Ilan Rubin, CEO of the organization Lev BaGalil, argued that Israel must adopt a new national approach to address demographic decline among Jewish residents in the Galilee. “This is a strategic challenge no less important than the military fronts Israel is currently dealing with. There are solutions available to stop the trend and keep young people in the region, but they must be implemented immediately."
Hagoel said the north has suffered from population decline and called for concrete timelines to achieve the stated goal of adding 100,000 Jewish residents to the Galilee. “We are working to bring new immigrants to the Galilee, but there must also be a clear national plan."
Dr. Kabsa-Abramzon said the initiative’s primary goal is to secure a Jewish majority in the Galilee, which she described as central to Zionist objectives and Israel’s future. Her proposed plan includes accelerated planning and construction approval processes, the creation of a dedicated headquarters within the Prime Minister’s Office, expanded development of Jewish communities and new legislation to encourage occupancy in northern Israel.
Kabsa-Abramzon warned that many young Jewish residents are leaving the Galilee because of high housing costs, limited employment opportunities and inadequate infrastructure. "Strengthening the Galilee must become a national mission led by the entire government with a long-term strategy. Young families cannot be expected to remain in the region without meaningful support from the state."