Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a massive aid package for core cities in northern Israel during a special cabinet meeting held Thursday in Nof HaGalil. Netanyahu emphasized the goal is to bring prosperity and security to the region, similar to efforts made in the south following the October 7 attacks.
1+“In a joint effort, we’re bringing a huge package to the core cities: Nof HaGalil, Acre, Karmiel, Safed, Afula, Nazareth, and Tiberias. What we did in the south will be done in the north—that’s our vision,” Netanyahu said. He added that Israel is in a constant struggle over the Galilee, and that security is the top priority, referencing the ongoing fight against Hezbollah and the elimination of hundreds of terrorists weekly.
Netanyahu also addressed the drone challenge in the north and promised the government is working on a solution. He noted that many didn’t believe it when the government promised the south would return and prosper, but today demand for housing and settlement in the area is higher than before October 7. “What we did in the south will be done in the north. These aren’t exactly the same challenges—they’re slightly different challenges—but the result will be identical,” he said.
1+The package includes aid for infrastructure and prosperity, after approximately ₪20 billion has already been allocated to communities within nine kilometers of the border, and an additional ₪1 billion to the Golan Heights. Netanyahu emphasized this is a “huge boost” that will provide momentum and development to the core cities, calling it a “sacred national mission.”
The prime minister said the government will advance massive urban renewal in business, transportation, infrastructure, health, and education, and wants to give local authority heads the tools needed to maximize use of the resources. “I love the Galilee. It’s an integral part of our homeland. It’s a part we must protect and a part we must develop,” Netanyahu concluded.