Israel to build thousands more homes in northern Druze settlement

The building plan will see the development of two new neighborhoods and thousands of homes in the Druze settlement of Dalit El Carmel.

 View of the Druze town of Isfiya, Northern Israel. October 03, 2023. (photo credit: NATI SHOHAT/FLASH90)
View of the Druze town of Isfiya, Northern Israel. October 03, 2023.
(photo credit: NATI SHOHAT/FLASH90)

The Interior Committee of the Knesset approved a plan to build thousands of housing units in two new neighborhoods, "El Randa" and "Khalat Nasser”, in the Druze settlement of Dalit El Carmel in northern Israel.

The building plan will address the needs of the individual neighborhoods along with the needs of the settlement as a whole. 

El Randa 

The neighborhood "El Randa" will be located in the west of the settlement and is the first building plan in the Druze settlements that includes the consolidation and distribution of private lands. The housing patterns of the Druze community were taken into account during planning. 

The “El Randa” plan includes approximately 3,200 residential housing units with 4-5 floors each, some of which will also have commercial facades. 

It will place an emphasis on keeping areas open and retaining the natural landscape unique to the area, and includes taking care of the wadis and the national park.

 View of the Druze town of Isfiya, Northern Israel. October 03, 2023. (credit: NATI SHOHAT/FLASH90)
View of the Druze town of Isfiya, Northern Israel. October 03, 2023. (credit: NATI SHOHAT/FLASH90)

Khalat Nasser

The neighborhood "Khalat Nasser", will be located in the south of the settlement and will include 740 new housing units in 4-story buildings. It will be connected to existing neighborhoods in the settlement’s southern area.

The plan, promoted by the planning administration department and drawn up by architect Rosa Diamant, will also include public buildings, commercial areas, and areas for sports, leisure, and recreation.

"Congratulations on the decision of the Interior Committee and the chairman of the committee MK Yaakov Asher. The decision will make it possible to promote and approve important plans for the development of the Dalit El Carmel settlement,” stated Rafa Elmaleh, the Director General of the Planning Administration.

“These plans enable the development of the settlement significantly while expanding the development areas and providing a solution for future generations. The plans place emphasis on strengthening the infrastructure and public spaces in the settlements and maintaining the open spaces that surround them."