Israel's Economic Affairs Committee on Sunday gave its final approval to a plan to build another international airport in the south of the country, not far from the area near the border with Gaza where Hamas carried out its October 7, 2023 attacks. The Knesset committee will move the draft bill forward to its second and third readings, marking a decisive step in favor of a public campaign advocating for an airport in the Negev.
Led by the "Negev Takes Off from Nevatim" group, a joint team of Negev and Jezreel Valley residents who campaigned for an international airport in the region, their efforts were deemed successful as the committee approved a series of regulations and directives which will make government ministries prioritize Nevatim over other alternatives.
The town of Nevatim is about 65 kilometers (40 miles) – less than an hour's drive from the Gaza border and adjacent to a military airbase in the Negev desert that is home to F-35 fighter jets.
The airbase was targeted by Iranian missiles last October.
The new airport, some 132 kilometers from Tel Aviv, would take seven years to build and handle up to 15 million passengers annually, according to the bill before parliament.
The project is intended to help alleviate traffic at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport and bolster the economy in the country's south by creating around 50,000 jobs, particularly from the nearby Bedouin community.
Initiated by Otzma Yehudit MK Almog Cohen, Yeah Atid MK Ram Ben Barak, Likud MK Shalom Danino, and Democrats MK Naama Lazimi, the bill has garnered support from other Knesset members across various factions. Over 80 MKs and ministers from Israel’s transportation, economic, environmental, and housing sectors, among other parts of Israeli society.
MK David Bitan, the committee’s chairman, set the bill to a plenum vote as early as next week despite potential objections in the coming days.
The group Negev Takes Off from Nevatim supported the Knesset members’ move to bring the bill forward, calling the move a “Dramatic moment in the years-long struggle over the airport’s location.”
"Nevatim is the right location – from security, economic, social, environmental, and health perspectives. We commend the Knesset members for their efforts, but we recognize that the path to implementing the law is still filled with challenges."
Dimona Mayor Benny Biton praised the progress after attending the Economic Affairs Committee discussion. "This bill is a game-changer for the future of the Negev, which has endured years of unfulfilled promises,” he said. “The Nevatim Airport will provide economic and employment opportunities for all residents of the region. The widespread support for this bill is clear proof that there is a deep understanding—the Negev is the future growth and development hub of Israel in the coming decades."
The recently approved bill to establish the Nevatim Airport represents a unique chapter in Israel’s history, helping eradicate agricultural destruction and potential evictions in the Jezreel Valley had the airport been built in Ramat David. According to the Negev Takes Off from Nevatim movement, this move will aid in reducing noise pollution for those living across central Israel, created by the constant flow of air traffic in and out of Ben Gurion International Airport. The move is also expected to provide Negev residents with tens of thousands of jobs and assist with local business growth and investments in advanced transportation infrastructure.
This move could be a game changer and contribute to the economic growth of not only the south, but the whole of Israel, creating more opportunities across lesser-served regions.
Does Israel have a need for another airport?
Technically, Israel has multiple airports that service international flights, including Eilat Ramon Airport, just north of Israel’s southern port city of Eilat, and Haifa. Both airports, operated by the Israel Airports Authority, service routes to nearby European countries such as Greece and Cyprus.
Israeli security forces have opposed the project due to its proximity to the airbase.
Ben Gurion is Israel's main air gateway, with a capacity of 40 million passengers annually. It is nearing its limit, according to the committee, which cited data showing 80 million are expected to pass through the airport by 2050.
In October 2024, the airport’s Terminal 1 closed to international flights for five months, only re-opening this week.
In 2019, Israel opened Ramon Airport near the Red Sea resort city of Eilat at Israel's southern tip, on the border with Jordan and Egypt. Prior to the war with Hamas, a number of foreign carriers, such as Ryanair, operated flights from Europe to Ramon.
At present, the airport is being used largely for domestic flights.
Most international carriers had stopped flying to Israel due to the war in Gaza, but many of them have now resumed flights, including Delta and United.
Reuters contributed to this report.
