JNF Approves 33 Million Shekels for Northern Border Settlements Rehabilitation
The Jewish National Fund approved 33 million shekels to support 22 northern Israeli settlements located two to five kilometers from the Lebanese border for infrastructure rehabilitation.
The Jewish National Fund (JNF) board of directors approved a budget of 33 million shekels to support 22 northern settlements located two to five kilometers from the Lebanese border. Under this decision, each evacuated settlement that has not yet received JNF support will receive 1.5 million shekels for infrastructure rehabilitation and development.
Rehabilitation and Support Model
The list of beneficiary communities includes kibbutzim such as Maayan Baruch, Dan, Beit Hillel, and Ramot Naftali in the Upper Galilee Regional Council, as well as communities in the Mevo'ot HaHermon Regional Council, Liman in Mateh Asher, and several others in Ma'ale Yosef and Marom HaGalil.
Unlike the government's uniform budgeting model, the JNF adopted a tiered support model based on the distance from the border and the severity of the damage. Frontline border communities previously received up to 3 million shekels, while the current phase targets settlements 2 to 5 kilometers away. A subsequent phase plans to allocate about 1 million shekels to each settlement located 5 to 9 kilometers from the border.
Infrastructure and Local Autonomy
The funds are designated for infrastructure development, upgrading and fortifying public buildings such as kindergartens, clubs, and dining halls, as well as enhancing public open spaces. The selection of projects will be determined independently by residents and local leadership.
"We decided that JNF's northern rehabilitation efforts will not stop at the two-kilometer line from the border," said JNF Chairman Eyal Ostrinsky. "The neighboring settlements within a range of up to five kilometers have also paid a heavy price during the war and continue to do so."
JNF professional teams will visit the settlements in the coming days to finalize the list of projects, aiming to begin implementation within a month and a half. The Moshavim Movement welcomed the decision, emphasizing that the resilience of border communities is vital to the strength of the entire country.
