Government Panel Recommends Building New Ultra-Orthodox City of Plugot Near Kiryat Gat
A government team led by Yehuda Morgenstern recommends building a new ultra-Orthodox city named Plugot west of Kiryat Gat. The city will feature 45,000 housing units for 225,000 residents, prioritizing it over other planned southern towns.
A government team led by Yehuda Morgenstern, Director-General of the Ministry of Housing, recommends immediate action to establish a new ultra-Orthodox city west of Kiryat Gat and Highway 40, within the territory of the Shafir Regional Council. The city, to be named Plugot, is planned to include approximately 45,000 housing units for about 225,000 residents.
The team's report prioritizes Plugot over other ultra-Orthodox cities promoted by the government, such as Kasif and Tila, in which tens of millions of shekels have already been invested. The government has invested at least 22 million NIS in Kasif (recently renamed Menora BaDarom), located near Kuseife and Arad, which is in advanced planning stages. Tila, planned north of Lehavim, is in the initial planning phases with about 7 million NIS invested so far.
Political Disputes and Economic Concerns
The report exposes a rift between Religious Zionism ministers Orit Strock and Bezalel Smotrich. The Ministry of Settlement recommended establishing all three cities simultaneously for political and strategic reasons rather than planning considerations. According to the ministry, building these cities is crucial to bringing a Jewish population to the Negev, particularly along Highway 25 between Beer-Sheva and the Arava Junction.
Conversely, the Ministry of Finance expressed reservations about building remote cities at this stage, arguing that developing infrastructure for a new city in the far periphery would cost at least 1 billion NIS, and these cities would struggle to balance their budgets without ongoing government subsidies. Furthermore, the report reveals that the building potential in Tila is significantly lower than the initially estimated 30,000 apartments.
In contrast, Plugot will be built adjacent to the eastern boundary of Kiryat Gat and major transportation arteries, placing it about 30 minutes from the central region. This offers superior employment accessibility and infrastructure savings. Additionally, 22% of the planned area is designated for offices, logistics, and commerce.
The Housing Crisis in the Ultra-Orthodox Sector
The National Economic Council estimates that the ultra-Orthodox sector requires approximately 12,000 new housing units annually, totaling 180,000 units by 2045. The team views the creation of a new city as the most efficient and rapid way to meet these demands. Existing major ultra-Orthodox cities, such as Bnei Brak, Elad, Modi'in Illit, and Beitar Illit, have exhausted most of their land reserves.
Urban renewal projects, such as "Pinui-Binui" (eviction and reconstruction), face severe obstacles in these sectors due to two main halachic rulings:
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A ruling that grants veto power to any individual resident, preventing the majority from enforcing a project.
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A ruling that prohibits living in buildings higher than seven stories.
Bnei Brak, the most densely populated city in Israel, has even implemented a master plan that explicitly bans residential construction above seven stories. Urban renewal is further complicated by a severe shortage of public spaces, which are highly demanded in ultra-Orthodox communities for ritual baths (mikvahs), study halls, and gender-segregated schools.
While establishing ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in secular cities remains an option, it is limited by social friction and resistance from financially stable municipalities wary of lowering their socio-economic rankings. Consequently, the team recommends prioritizing the establishment of Plugot as an independent municipality separate from Kiryat Gat.
