Gov’t Proposes NIS 196B in New Infrastructure Projects

The government has proposed a massive infrastructure plan, which would see NIS 196 billion (nearly $50 billion) spent on roads, trains, power plants, schools, and more. The money will be spread over 207 projects, all of which would be finished by 2022, if the plan is approved immediately.

That, of course, is not possible, as the Knesset is not in session to vote on it, and observers said that it was unlikely that all the projects would be approved. The plan is essentially an update of one presented in 2017, with the addition of new plans from the various government ministries. That plan included 147 projects, which were proposed at a cost of NIS 147 billion.

Among the projects: A new highway to bring traffic into Yerushalayim, running from the Motza Junction to Givat Mordechai; the addition of three new “fast lanes” on the highway to Tel Aviv; two new electricity power plants; the establishment of a new hospital in Beer Sheva; construction of over 2,500 new classrooms; and more.

The plan was presented by the Prime Minister’s Office, and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that “we have already accomplished a revolution in infrastructure in Israel. We see this in the construction of roads, railroads, the harvesting of natural gas from the sea, and more. This trend will grow in the coming years.”