IDF to relocate 11 bases from central Israel to free up land for real estate

The Defense Ministry, Treasury, and Israel Land Authority have signed an agreement to relocate another 11 IDF bases from central Israel, freeing up land for real estate.

The IDF decided in 2011 to move many of its bases from the center of the country to the south, consolidating operations to save money and opening up land for development in the center of the country.

The Defense Ministry says the relocation of the 11 bases will free up 2.3 square kilometers of land, and bring about the construction of approximately 19,000 new housing units, around one million square meters of new commercial and industrial centers, and 1,000 hotel rooms.

The deal will also see “the establishment of new and modern bases and their adaptation to security challenges and the continuity of the IDF’s operations,” the ministry says.

The 11 bases that will be relocated, mainly to southern Israel include: The Military Colleges in Glilot, which will be moved to Jerusalem; Technological and Logistics Directorate bases in Tzrifin, Tel Hashomer, Haifa, and Tirat Carmel; the Dotan training base near Pardes Hana; some of the Home Front Command’s headquarters at the Rehavam base in Ramle; and the remaining units at the Tzrifin base, including compounds belonging to the C4I and Cyber Defense Directorate, Medical Corps, Israeli Air Force, and the the Magal unit, which is in charge of the army’s basic training.

The bases will be moved gradually over the next decade, according to the Defense Ministry.

The ministry says that it will also establish a joint directorate with the IDF to “examine the feasibility” of relocating the military’s Kirya headquarters out of Tel Aviv.