Cabinet okays NIS 4b plan to boost Druze, Circassian communities over five years

The government approved a five-year plan worth approximately NIS 3.9 billion ($1.1 billion) to resolve housing and planning issues that have afflicted the Druze and Circassian communities in northern Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announce in a joint statement.

The plan is touted by the Prime Minister’s Office as the country’s largest ever focusing on the Druze and Circassian minorities, who number about 150,000 and 5,000, respectively, and mainly live in northern Israel.

“These actions reflect the strength of our bond with the Druze community. They fight alongside us, shoulder to shoulder; we have a unique alliance,” Netanyahu says in a pre-recorded video distributed by the PMO.

The five-year program, formulated in cooperation with relevant government ministries, will allocate NIS 650 million ($179 million) for planning and housing, establish a planning committee for Druze and Circassian localities, and accelerate urban and detailed planning, says the PMO. NIS 450 million ($124 million) will be invested to align the education system with future job markets, according to the PMO.

The plan also seeks to improve electricity connections and subsidize new construction for discharged soldiers and young couples, as well as strengthen local authorities by investing over NIS 1 billion to increase their budgets, organizational efficiency, and develop new income sources through economic projects.