During today’s weekly Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned to Israel’s vision of connecting the nation to the world, a project that has been underway for the past decade.
He mentioned the construction of the railway from Haifa to Beit Shean, explaining that it was designed not only to serve the residents of the Galilee and Beit Shean but also to establish a future link between Haifa Bay and the Arabian Peninsula.
The Prime Minister credited Israel’s Transportation Minister, Israel Katz, for his role in advancing this vision. He highlighted the significance of this railway network, which will connect Haifa Bay to the Arabian Peninsula, Europe, and beyond. Netanyahu noted that this vision has gained momentum through the Abraham Accords and is now part of an even grander initiative.
He spoke about a visionary project that involves the creation of a transportation corridor, including railways, maritime links, fiber optic cables, power lines, natural gas, and hydrogen. This corridor will run from India, through the Arabian Peninsula, Israel, and onward to Europe. Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed gratitude to President Joe Biden for his support of this initiative and emphasized how it transforms Israel into a central hub in the global economy.
He reflected on how Israel has transitioned from being a nation passed over by conquering empires to becoming a vital global transit country, changing the geopolitical landscape. Netanyahu acknowledged the profound changes in Israel’s role, highlighting the nation’s pivotal position in various fields, such as cybersecurity, water management, natural gas, and now transportation, energy, and global communications.
Prime Minister Netanyahu also announced a significant development in Israel’s national priority map, revealing substantial investments to bolster Israeli communities on the periphery. These investments include tax benefits, subsidies, educational priorities, and employment opportunities. He affirmed that these benefits would be accessible to all sectors of society and would extend to new communities, breathing new life into the Negev, Galilee, and areas near the security fence, as well as Judea and Samaria.
Netanyahu expressed his gratitude to all ministers and ministries that contributed to this effort and commended the Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office, Yossi Shelley, for his instrumental role in achieving this result.