Investment, joint planning, and a government taking its responsibilities seriously have gradually built trust with residents of the Tekuma Region and along the Lebanese border. The Tekuma Region encompasses 47 communities near the Gaza border, designated by the government for dedicated rehabilitation and development following the October 7 attack. Minister Ze’ev Elkin says the goal is not merely to rebuild, but to foster growth and double the population. The numbers on the ground already speak for themselves.
Since returning to government, Elkin has served as minister responsible for rehabilitating northern and southern Israel throughout the war and in its aftermath. He sees success as both a commitment to residents and a message to those seeking to destroy Israel and massacre its citizens.
“This is not just about rebuilding what was destroyed. Rehabilitation—and, more importantly, expanding, building, and developing these areas—is critical to our victory. Those who murdered, raped, and massacred people on October 7 hoped we would not dare return. This is a struggle for our land. Those who fired on northern communities and forced residents to evacuate for a year and a half likewise hoped they would never return.
“Our duty as a state is not only to rebuild and bring residents home, but to build something much stronger and bigger. Part of our victory is continuing to develop our land while those who wanted to destroy us look on in anguish from their ruined villages, seeing destruction around them while we flourish. This ideological principle lies at the foundation of our sovereignty over the land.”
Do all the officials working with Elkin share this outlook? Not necessarily. “Some do more, others less. Some help, while others throw obstacles in our path. Some helped initially but felt less committed as time passed and the events receded from view.”
What is happening on the ground? “In the south, the reality is different,” Elkin says. “A few communities whose residents suffered the greatest damage have yet to return, but are expected to do so over the coming year. Yet the Tekuma Region’s population as a whole is already larger than before. We have moved beyond rehabilitation to growth.”
No Vacant Apartments Left in Sderot
Elkin points to Sderot as a remarkable success. Thousands of new housing units have been marketed, and the city is on track to double its population to more than 60,000. The Tekuma Region now has 60,000 residents, he says, with a target of 120,000.
“There are no vacant apartments in Sderot or the rural communities. In some places, we are helping provide prefabricated mobile homes for new families.” Doubling the population begins with setting out a vision, Elkin says.
“Contrary to the rumors, Zionism is not over. Give people a vision, and they will come. People seek values and spiritual fulfillment, not just material comforts. They want to be part of something greater with deeper meaning.
“We must also meet material needs. We are building housing and providing education. New schools are opening, and there are already thousands more students than before the war. Young families are returning and moving to the region.”
Elkin witnessed this growth on the first day of school in Sderot, which he visited as he had a year earlier. Last year, he was surprised to find a school he had approved four years earlier as housing minister already standing in the heart of a new neighborhood. This year, its amphitheater was packed with students, leaving no room for parents as there had been just a year before.
Development also requires investment in employment, healthcare, culture, higher education, and sports. Elkin lists numerous projects and highlights the government’s unprecedented commitment of NIS 17.5 billion to the region over five years.
Accelerating development required Elkin and his team to overcome deep distrust, sometimes even hostility, toward government representatives. He acknowledges the difficulties but says the situation has changed.
“Residents initially had little trust in us, and some meetings were difficult. We also faced ideological differences with kibbutzim whose members are sharply critical of the government. But we overcame these challenges through dialogue with residents’ leaders. I have never encountered an aggressive attitude and have been welcomed even in communities that suffered the worst devastation. “I do not conceal our disagreements, but ultimately, we are one people fighting together for this land.”
Returning Is Difficult, but It Is Happening
“In the north, the reality is complex, but the goal remains the same: not merely to bring people home, but to dramatically develop the region,” Elkin says.
“We secured approval for all the government decisions, allocating NIS 14.5 billion to the Golan–Katzrin confrontation zone, nine kilometers from the Lebanese border. Some of this funding helped residents return after evacuations lasting a year and a half to two years.
“Returning is difficult after people have grown accustomed to life in central Israel. Nevertheless, 87% of residents have come back.” One challenge, Elkin says, was northern Israel’s decline before the war, which further undermined residents’ already fragile trust. “They were disillusioned by years of stagnation and underinvestment.”
The launch of Operation Roaring Lion also revived residents’ painful sense of living under difficult security conditions, setting back efforts to move forward. “Nevertheless, our goal here too is to bring 100,000 new residents to the region, not merely rebuild what existed. We aim to make Katzrin the first Israeli city in the Golan Heights. This is a major sovereign and national milestone,” he says.
He cites substantial investment in employment, healthcare, improved services, education, and higher education, including the transformation of Tel-Hai College into a university.
“This is a dramatic development. Kiryat Shmona is becoming a university city. Young people will no longer need to travel to Haifa to study; they will study in the Galilee. This changes everything.”
This article was originally published in Sovereignty Journal, Issue No. 20 (October 2026). 📖 "Click here to read the full issue