The North District Planning and Construction Committee, led by Boaz Yosef, has approved a plan to expand the Ramot Naftali settlement, situated in the Hermon Regional Council, just three kilometers from the northern border with Lebanon.
The program's primary objective is to expand housing units, facilitating the settlement's growth and accommodating a new population influx. This plan addresses the moshav's various needs, including demographic growth, housing, public spaces, heritage preservation, and security.
The expansion will introduce 126 new housing units, supplementing the existing 267 for a total of 393. These units will be distributed across three locations: a northern neighborhood with 22 units, a southern neighborhood with 72, and 32 units under construction concentrated in the settlement's center. The addition includes a diverse mix of units, providing various living options for different populations within the moshav.
Moshav Ramot Naftali was established in 1945 by Palmach veterans, revolving around the Ramot Naftali Citadel, a significant landmark in the War of Independence and a designated national heritage site. The plan ensures the preservation and utilization of the citadel's land to enhance its significance and accessibility to the public.
The North District Committee recently approved expansions in other settlements, such as doubling the Manara settlement with around 211 new housing units, including provisions for young families, 100 hotel units, and public and employment buildings. Similarly, Moshav Liman is set to expand with the addition of 222 housing units.
"The deposit of this program testifies to the importance that the District Committee places on its support for the growth and prosperity of the rural area in the North in general and in the settlements of the conflict line in Ramim Ridge in particular," Yosef said.
"The approval of the expansion plan to Ramot Naftali is an extremely important step for the future of this settlement, precisely in these difficult times," he said.
"The program is another pillar for strengthening the settlements in Galilee and in the regional council of the Hermon suburbs in particular. The North District Committee works and will continue to work in cooperation with the regional councils in the North and the settlements of the conflict line to ensure their resilience and future."
According to Dekla Adi Peretz, Northern District Planner in the Planning Administration, "the plan is another significant milestone for the settlement's development in that it allows it to absorb a new population and promote rural renewal. The plan includes high-quality planning that includes a diverse housing mix and efficient land planning.
"In view of the changing reality, the committee acceded to the request of representatives of the regional council, and allowed maximum flexibility in determining the designation of land for the area of the citadel, for the benefit of the successful implementation of the citadel's preservation and its accessibility to the general public," she said.
The program is being conducted in cooperation with the Construction and Housing Ministry and with support of the regional council of the Hermon and Moshav areas.