‘Unprecedented’ Investment of One Billion Shekels for Northern Border Communities

Jerusalem, 20 July, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The government of Israel today (Sunday) approved a proposal to recognize the northern border settlements – the population centers that have been on the confrontation line since October 7, 2023 – as “national priority settlements” and to provide comprehensive assistance to encourage demographic growth by absorbing thousands of new families and strengthening settlement along the Lebanese border.

The government’s decision includes what it called an unprecedented investment of over one billion Shekels ($297 million) by 2029, with the aim of increasing the settlements, kibbutzim, and cities near the border. The Settlement Ministry will carry out rapid construction to encourage the absorption of new families and consolidate Zionist settlement on the Lebanese border.

Main points of the decision:
* Declaring border settlements (within 0–2 km from Lebanon/Syria) as national priority settlements for the years 2025–2029.
* Rapid establishment of temporary residential neighborhoods for new families in border settlements through the Settlement Division and local authorities.
* 2.5 million Shekels ($740,000) for each rural settlement adjacent to a fence.
* 120 million Shekels ($35.7 million) will be transferred to the municipal authorities of Kiryat Shmona, Shlomi and Metula.
* Grants for operating kindergartens and daycare centers even with numbers of children below the standard, to enable the absorption of young families.
* Extensive support for farmers in border communities, including chicken coops, agricultural infrastructure, equipment procurement and drainage.
* Rehabilitation and establishment of public institutions and community infrastructure, both in rural and urban areas.
* Community support for the demographic growth system in communities and authorities.