IDF Approves Jurisdiction for New Mevo'ot Lachish Industrial Park
The IDF Central Command has approved the jurisdictional area for the new Mevo'ot Lachish industrial park in Gush Etzion. Spearheaded by Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the 3,039-dunam project aims to boost local revenues and reinforce regional security near the seam line.
The Central Command of the Israel Defense Forces has officially signed off on the jurisdictional boundaries for the new Mevo'ot Lachish industrial park, slated for construction north of the Tarqumiya crossing near the seam line in Judea and Samaria.
The massive complex is set to span 3,039 dunams within the municipal jurisdiction of the Gush Etzion Regional Council. The initiative is being actively advanced by the Settlement Administration and the Civil Administration, led by Finance Minister and Additional Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich alongside Gush Etzion Regional Council Head Yaron Rosenthal. Planned between the villages of Tarqumiya, Beit Ula, and Nuba, as well as the Adullam region, local authorities anticipate the park will generate thousands of jobs and provide a sustainable revenue stream to fund municipal services for a growing population.
Historically, the area near Tarqumiya was designated for a joint or Palestinian industrial initiative. In 2017, then-Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced plans to bring the proposal before the security cabinet, followed in 2018 by a Palestinian-signed development agreement for Tarqumiya and Beit Ula. Proponents of the new Israeli project acknowledge that advancing the industrial park also serves to preempt the realization of the competing Palestinian land initiative in the area.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich emphasized that the project complements the ongoing promotion of over 60,000 housing units across Judea and Samaria, alongside new commercial and employment centers designed to broaden local government revenues. According to Smotrich, the complex will reinforce security along the seam zone and protect vital regional infrastructure, including the Tarqumiya crossing, Highway 6, and Kiryat Gat. Framing the project within the broader national debate, Smotrich declared, "Against those who seek to establish a Palestinian state threatening Afula, Azrieli, and Beersheba, we are building, regulating, and developing."
Gush Etzion Regional Council Head Yaron Rosenthal hailed the approval as a monumental settlement achievement, projecting that the completed industrial zone will inject more than 100 million shekels annually into the municipal budget. Rosenthal noted that these financial resources will significantly enhance the quality of life for residents and strengthen the enduring presence of Israeli communities in the region.
