From the Liveblog of
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Government approves 5-year, billion-shekel plan to develop Golan Heights, give it first city
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The government approves a five-year plan for the development of the Golan Heights and Katzrin between the years 2026 and 2030, with a total investment of approximately NIS 1 billion ($334 million).
The plan will make Katzrin the Golan’s first city, according to Ze’ev Elkin, a cabinet minister.
Yesterday’s announcement follows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Katzrin Local Council head Yehuda Dua and Golan Regional Council head Uri Kellner in Jerusalem on Monday.
The Directorate of Tnufa for the North, with local authorities, plans to bring 3,000 new families to Katzrin and the Golan Heights by 2030.
“We will strengthen academia, research, and the University of Kiryat Shmona with a branch in Katzrin, a faculty, and a veterinary hospital,” Dua says.
The government also plans to improve public services and increase employment opportunities in the region on the Syrian and Lebanese borders.
“I spoke with President Trump when he recognized our sovereignty over the Golan, and now we are coming with a massive development surge,” Netanyahu said at Monday’s meeting. “I hope to visit soon.”
The Times of Israel Community.