Ministry.David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first Prime Minister, believed in the untapped potential of the Negev in agricultural, scientific, and technological research. He saw settlement in the Negev as a tool for balanced population distribution in Israel, viewed it as critical for national security, and considered it an integral part of the historic Jewish homeland and a key component of the Zionist mission.
The agreements signed over the past decade between the Israeli government and the Beersheba municipality have facilitated the accelerated development of the Negev's capital, heralding the realization of Ben-Gurion's vision and the transformation of Beersheba into a leading metropolis attracting investments from Israel and around the world.
Addition of Tens of Thousands of Apartments in New and Old Neighborhoods
The agreements between the Beersheba municipality and the Israeli government provided the municipality with the tools and budgetary resources to plan and build tens of thousands of apartments in new neighborhoods and for urban renewal, adding residential, employment, and commercial areas in older neighborhoods. The combination of developing new neighborhoods and renewing and strengthening older ones aligns with the city's strategic vision, ensuring optimal development and creating a variety of housing solutions for students, new immigrants, young couples, families, and seniors.
Currently, two new neighborhoods are being built in the city: Pisgat Ramot, located in the innovation district near the high-tech park and Ben-Gurion University, will include 3,700 housing units, including assisted living facilities and long-term rental housing. The Rakafot neighborhood, a neighborhood of villas with a rural character in the north of the city, will include 4,000 housing units upon completion, 2,600 of which will be ground-level units, 750 in terraced construction, and 800 units in high-rise buildings along Rager Boulevard, the city's main thoroughfare.
In addition to the establishment of new neighborhoods, the municipality is promoting dozens of mixed-use intensive urban renewal projects in older neighborhoods in the city center, industrial areas, and the Old City to create a vibrant and active urban center with a quality public space that will attract young populations back to the center.
Israel's First Innovation District
Israel's first innovation district was established in Beersheba, an urban model where institutions, tech companies, and startups are in proximity to one another, fostering original and groundbreaking innovation. The district spans 2,700 dunams and includes three significant knowledge, technology, and innovation hubs: Soroka Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University, and the Negev High-Tech Park.
The Gav Yam Negev High-Tech Park, which opened a decade ago, houses over 80 high-tech and cybersecurity companies, incubators, and leading startups, alongside the IDF's school for computer and cybersecurity professions, which opened two years ago. Companies such as Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, Intel, Dell, Taboola, and others are active in the park, employing 3,000 workers, 82% of whom are Negev residents. Once fully completed, the park is expected to span 200,000 square meters and employ 10,000 workers in leading high-tech companies from Israel and abroad.
The world recognizes the potential of the innovation district. In an article published in the Financial Times, Beersheba was declared Israel's cyber capital, noting that "by placing the military's talented cyber personnel close to business companies and researchers at Ben-Gurion University, the government hopes to foster interaction between some of the country's best minds."
The IDF Moves to the Negev
The IDF's relocation to the Negev is becoming a reality. The new technological center of the IDF's C4I Corps was established In the high-tech park, serving thousands of soldiers, NCOs, and officers. Concurrently, construction work on the intelligence campus near Shoket Junction is progressing rapidly. The new campus will be built as a smart campus with advanced technological infrastructure and will span over 2,500 dunams with over 400,000 square meters of built area. The C4I campus will house all the elite technological units of the IDF's Intelligence Corps, with tens of thousands of soldiers, NCOs, and officers, serving as a foundation for better population distribution and turning the Negev and Beersheba into a new area of demand.
A Regional Center for Leading Defense Industries
In addition to establishing Beersheba as the cyber capital of Israel and the region, it is also becoming a center for Israel's leading defense industries. These industries, which are a global economic and technological anchor, realized the importance of their presence in Beersheba, near the C4I base and the intelligence campus. Rafael established a research and development branch in Beersheba five years ago and plans to expand it. Israel Aerospace Industries will establish a new factory in Beersheba with an investment of over NIS 100 million, and is expected to employ 500 workers. The factory will be part of IAI's Elta division, which develops airborne radar systems, intelligence systems on mission aircraft, electronic warfare systems, communication systems, and more. Additionally, Elbit Systems is in advanced stages towards the future occupancy of the advanced factory in Ramat Beka, which will replace the existing factory in Ramat HaSharon and is expected to employ hundreds more workers.
The New Hospital
Fitting for the metropolis of the southern region, the Israeli government recently approved the establishment of the Peres Medical Center— a new public hospital in the city. The new hospital, expected to open by 2028, will include 600 beds. This significant step for the Negev will enhance the medical response in all fields, improve the lives and health of residents, and will be a significant source of employment and research.
Investors from around the globe
The municipality's foreign relations department has become a point of contact for investors from around the world, coordinating visits to the city and examining investments in real estate, high-tech, and academia. Dozens of delegations from around the world have visited the high-tech park to learn about the unique ecosystem that has been created in the innovation district, and real estate professionals are participating in Israel Land Authority tenders and are considering investments in income-producing real estate and investments in commerce and tourism.
In summary, Beersheba is experiencing a growth boom, creating opportunities for housing, investments, employment, and a high quality of life in a leading and developing metropolis.
For more information: Beersheba municipality
This article was written in cooperation with the Beersheba municipality and the Construction and Housing Ministry.