Cabinet Approves Netanyahu’s Proposal to Build New Community in the Sdot Negev Area

Pursuant to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s policy of advancing the development of the periphery and the drawing of population from the center of the country to the Negev and in accordance with the government policy of strengthening the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip, the Cabinet approved Sunday the Prime Minister’s proposal to evaluate the establishment of a new community for 500 families in the Sdot Negev Regional Council area, east of Kibbutz Sa’ad. The provisional name of the community will be Chanun.

The Construction and Housing Ministry will coordinate the staff work on establishing the community in cooperation and conjunction with the necessary government ministries.

Netanyahu met Sunday with Sdot Negev Regional Council Chairman Tamir Idan and congratulated him on the decision.

Netanyahu said “This is a great day for the State of Israel. We are building a new community in the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip. I remember six years ago, when I was here with you Tamir, and I told you ‘Let us build a new community.’ This captured my imagination and my heart and we have decided to do it, and here we are implementing it. Then Construction and Housing Minister Yoav Gallant was a full partner in this matter.

“I am proud that we passed the decision in the Cabinet today. We are moving forward. I said that there are things that need to be done, for example to build a fence so that we would not be flooded with illegal migrants from Africa, and we did it. For example, to build transportation, highways, we have not yet finished this, we will need to do it. For example, to submit all kinds of economic projects, we are in the midst of doing this – but the most important thing is the excitement, the enthusiasm, the fire, and you have proven this. I would like to thank you and congratulate all of the communities.

“This is both a domestic and an external message. We face enemies who want to uproot us and they are revealing that not only are we not being uprooted – we are planting, building and producing. This is a very big thing. Congratulations and you will yet receive much help.”