Israel to Build International Airport in the Negev

After prolonged negotiations, the Israeli government has announced plans to construct an international airport in southern Israel, aiming to greatly enhance the economy of the Negev region.

This new airport will be located near the Ziklag archaeological site, situated between Netivot and Rahat—about 27 miles northwest of Beersheba. An official approval from the Cabinet is expected on Sunday, according to a joint statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Finance.

Interestingly, this area was also targeted by Hamas during the attack on October 7, 2023. The new site is a bit west of a previous proposal at Moshav Nevatim.

“With the growing number of travelers to and from Israel, establishing an additional international airport is crucial,” the government stated. “This decision is significant for both the aviation sector and the Negev region as a whole.”

The construction, projected to take around ten years, aims to create thousands of jobs, bolster the local economy, and address inequality, effectively putting an end to the longstanding marginalization, as per the official announcement.

The proposed airport is also intended to alleviate the congestion at Ben Gurion International Airport, which serves as Israel’s primary international gateway, located about 55 miles away.

Ben Gurion Airport, positioned in eastern Tel Aviv, accommodates approximately 40 million passengers each year. In 2019, a peak year for tourism, around 24 million travelers passed through, including over 4.5 million tourists.

This decision has been characterized as a historic one by Transport Minister Miri Regev, stating it would bolster “Israel’s skies, economy, and the Negev.” A new international airport in the south is seen as a substantial growth driver that will offer fresh opportunities and strengthen connections between the Negev and urban hubs in Israel and beyond.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich commented that the airport project will blend security resilience with economic advancement and infrastructure development—reinforcing the surrounding areas.

However, some Israeli travel analysts have raised doubts regarding the practicality of the project, given its location. “I don’t want to sound rude, but seriously, what kind of tourist would prefer to fly into Beersheba and then make their way to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, or Eilat?” questioned Mark Feldman, CEO of Zeon Tours, reflecting on previous discussions about the proposal.

It’s worth noting that Israel opened the Ramon Airport near Eilat in 2019, which initially had a passenger capacity of 2 million per year but failed to attract significant interest from travelers.