Housing Minister (Kulanu) Yoav Galant visited the Gush Etzion area this week, getting a firsthand look at the growing Jewish communities. Galant met with area leaders including Efrat Mayor Oded Ravivi, who told him over 1,000 new housing units are under construction in the community.

Galant emphasized he views the continued building of Gush Etzion as a national project, citing he envisions the area will be home to 500,000 residents within the next decade. It is reported that today, there are about 75,000 residents of the Gush based on the Central Bureau of Statistics in 2014. The largest Gush Etzion district community if Betar Illit with over 45,000 residents, followed by Efrat with over 8,500 residents. Ravivi explained there is a large building program in place for Efrat, which he predicts will increase by 60% in the coming years, the Givat Eitam project.

Most Israelis view Gush Etzion as part of the ‘national consensus’ and believe it will remain an integral portion of the State of Israel in any and all agreements made with the PA (Palestinian Authority) and Israel’s neighbors.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)