Netanyahu lays cornerstone for Dimona neighborhood named after brother Yoni
The Prime Minister spoke of his personal connection to the region, noting that his brother Yoni “deeply loved the Negev,” a sentiment he shares
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu participated on Sunday in the cornerstone-laying ceremony for a new neighborhood in Dimona, named in honor of his brother, Lieutenant Colonel Yoni Netanyahu, who was killed during the Entebbe operation.
Accompanied by his wife Sara Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Housing and Construction Minister Haim Katz, and Dimona Mayor Beni Biton, Netanyahu emphasized the ongoing development of the Negev region.
"What we see here is a battle for every apartment. Where people once wanted to leave, today they want to come," Netanyahu said, mentioning his government’s efforts to “revive the Negev, make the Negev bloom, and build the Negev” not just in Dimona, but across Beersheba and surrounding communities.
The Prime Minister spoke of his personal connection to the region, noting that his brother Yoni “deeply loved the Negev,” a sentiment he shares.
He stressed the importance of rebalancing national development, historically concentrated in central Israel, toward peripheral areas that offer affordable housing and quality infrastructure.
Describing the creation of the Yoni Netanyahu neighborhood as a “great honor” and a source of “immense emotion,” Netanyahu praised Mayor Biton’s role in advancing Dimona’s growth.