Israel will build a new international airport near the Gaza border with Palestine. Israel’s Economic Affairs Committee on Sunday gave final approval to plans to build another international airport in the south of the country.
The new Israeli airport is not far from the Gaza border, according to Reuters news agency. It is not far from the area where the Palestinian independence group Hamas launched an attack on October 7, 2023.
According to a bill awaiting approval in parliament, the airport will be built in the city of Nevatim, which is about 65 kilometers (40 miles) from the Gaza border. It is an hour’s drive by road. There is a military base next to where the airport will be built. The military base in the Negev Desert is home to Israel’s F-35 fighter jets.
Iran launched a missile attack on the air base in October last year. The new airport, located about 132 kilometers from Tel Aviv, will take seven years to build. The airport will be able to transport about 15 million passengers a year.
The country’s authorities claim that the new airport is being built to strengthen the economy of the southern part of Israel. The new airport will create jobs for about 50,000 people in the Bedouin community there.
Although Israel’s military and security establishment have opposed the project due to its proximity to the air base, Netanyahu’s administration has finally taken the initiative to approve it and pass it through parliament.