West Bank: Gevaot marks land registration milestone as community doubles in size
Officials celebrate official registration of the Gush Etzion locality and the approval of plans for more than 800 new housing units
Hundreds of residents gathered this week in Gevaot, part of the Gush Etzion settlement bloc in the West Bank, to celebrate the community's official registration in Israel's land registry, a move supporters described as a significant step in its long-term development.
The ceremony was attended by Gush Etzion Regional Council head Yaron Rosenthal, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Religious Zionism Party Director-General Yehuda Wald.
Speaking at the event, Smotrich highlighted Gevaot's strategic importance within the Gush Etzion bloc and welcomed the approval of the community's master plan, which includes more than 800 new housing units.
The minister also met with Hadas Hershkovitz, widow of Yossi Hershkovitz, the principal of Pelech High School who was killed during the war. Smotrich said the continued development of Israeli communities reflects the legacy of those who sacrificed their lives to ensure Israelis could live securely throughout the country.
Rosenthal, for his part, credited Smotrich with helping advance settlement development policies in the region. He said Gush Etzion has experienced unprecedented growth under the current government, noting that the number of communities in the area has doubled over the past three years—a development he described as a major transformation for the region.