The Israeli government is considering the establishment of new Jewish communities in the Negev desert, according to a report by the newspaper 'Haaretz', despite opposition from environmental organizations.
A plan to build seven new Jewish communities near the town of Arad will be brought for approval before a subcommittee of the National Planning and Building Council on Tuesday, the first of three statutory steps to obtain building approval, the paper wrote.
The new plan is under the sponsorship of the settlement division of the World Zionist Organization, which serves as the government’s arm for planning and implementing such programs. The settlement division conducted an examination of the construction of the new communities near Arad and, based on the conclusions, prepared the plan for seven rural communities to be added to the four that have already been approved in the region. The plans would add around 3,600 residential units for some 15,000 residents.
The new towns are intended for groups that are interested in a unique community lifestyle, such as graduates of pre-army preparatory programs, “therapists and patients in the area of complementary medicine,” the younger generation from the settlements in the southern Hebron Hills, residents interested in an “ecological way of life,” or those interested in “alternative religious lifestyles,” says 'Haaretz'.
The Environment Ministry and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel are reportedly opposed to the plan, favoring instead an expansion of existing communities.
The Negev is a desert in southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheva. It contains several development towns, such as Dimona, Arad and Mitzpe Ramon, as well as a number of small Bedouin cities, including Rahat and Tel as-Sabi. There are also several kibbutzim, including Revivim and Sde Boker.
