In Galilee, Ten Families Launch New Settlement Point Amid Land Disputes and Government Approval Delays
In a bold 24-hour operation, ten families established a temporary settlement point in the Galilee, marking the first tangible step toward the planned community of Ramat Arbel. This rapid mobilization comes amid ongoing concerns over repeated attempts by Arab clans to seize state-owned land in the region.
The initiative, which echoes the spirit of Israel’s historic “Wall and Tower” settlements, was organized in direct response to both the encroachment threats and the government’s decision in July 2023 to approve the Ramat Arbel settlement. Until official approval for permanent construction is granted, this provisional site will serve as a foothold for further development.
According to the Nachala movement, which led the effort, “The establishment of Ramat Arbel marks a new era in the Galilee—an era of building, hope, and the return of Zionist settlement to the northern landscape of the State of Israel. This move is the practical implementation of a government decision, and we call on the public to join and strengthen us.”
In internal Ramat Arbel WhatsApp groups, participants described the energy and emotion behind the operation:
“We are happy to share, in Operation Wall and Tower 2025, that 10 residential buildings with families were established on state land at a site where the government can immediately approve a temporary site as a base for the government’s approval to establish the Ramat Arbel settlement in the Lower Galilee.”
The effort was fueled by dozens of volunteers and families, who arrived with trucks, mobile homes, and construction materials. They installed essential facilities, created a Shabbat eruv, opened doors and windows, welded and hammered into the night. As the work continued under the moonlight, participants echoed the sentiment of the early pioneers:
“Up we go, for we can.”
While the site remains temporary, the message is clear: the settlers view this as a decisive and justified act, fulfilling both a government mandate and a Zionist vision of securing Jewish presence in the Galilee amid growing land disputes.
