Breaking Update
Enforcement Activity Disrupts Illegal Farming of Millions of Kilometers of Land in the Negev
Israel Land Authority seized 6,000 sq km of illegally farmed land near Nevatim Air Force base in the Negev, preventing further encroachment and ensuring.
Jerusalem, 18 February, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Land Authority on Tuesday, February 17, launched a large-scale enforcement activity near the Nevatim Israel Air Force military base in the Negev, east of Be’er Sheva, in which the Authority, in carried out actions on lands that were illegally sown in an area of approximately 6,000 square kilometers.
The activity was carried out in accordance with Section 18(b) of the Land Law, following illegal agricultural cultivation that was defined as a “fresh invasion of state land.”
Enforcement officials noted that the cultivation carried out on site was done by encroaching on the land, while attempting to determine facts on the ground. As part of the activity, the land was returned to state possession, with the aim of preventing further illegal takeover and ensuring regulated future use of the area.
The enforcement area, said the Authority, is of strategic importance as part of the Kedmat Negev region, intended for future development and strengthening economic and infrastructure growth in the region. According to professional sources, this is an area with significant potential for promoting industrial and development zones, which is expected to contribute to strengthening settlement and creating new growth engines in the south
The Authority emphasized that enforcement activity will continue in the future, with the aim of preserving state lands, enabling long-term planning, and promoting regulated development in accordance with government policy.
