A new agricultural outpost, Bitaron, was established in the Jordan Valley on Sunday, with the first structures placed on the site under the jurisdiction of the Jordan Valley Regional Council.
The outpost is expected to be officially inaugurated next month, with approximately 20 families already preparing to move in and make it their home.
The Shomer Hadash organization describes Bitaron as the first step in a broader initiative called “A Wraparound for Israel," which aims to establish additional communities along Israel’s eastern border and in other border regions. The organization said the placement of the first structures represents only “the tip of the iceberg" of the wider initiative.
Yoel Silberman, founder and CEO of Shomer Hadash, described the establishment of the outpost as “a moment of restoration and hope" and said the October 7th massacre highlighted the need for a renewed approach to developing Israel’s border regions.
“After the massacre, it was clear that we needed to reorganize along the borders," Silberman wrote. “It is not reasonable that there be dozens of kilometers of emptiness, without a living soul. It was clear that we needed to return the pioneers’ enterprise with a 21st-century model."
Silberman said the initiative envisions transforming border areas into “green belts" combining young communities, innovative industries and the development of solutions in food and water. He said the plan would also create educational opportunities and strengthen communities living along Israel’s borders.
“To take the greatest dangers at the borders and turn them into a positive force for creation out of the war," he wrote. He described the initiative as “a deep change in the security concept, based on the simple understanding that strong communities along the borders are an engine of growth for our national security."
Silberman emphasized that Bitaron is only the beginning of the broader plan. “The agricultural outpost Bitaron, which is being brought to land today, is the ‘tip of the iceberg’ for a much broader initiative of ‘A Wraparound for Israel’," he wrote.