The Negev and the Galilee were left behind. Also Ben-Gurion's vision | Dr. Esther Luzzatto

Dr. Esther Luzzatto argues that the Negev and the Galilee have been left behind in national priorities, contrary to Ben-Gurion's vision that saw population dispersal as a supreme security and demographic need. She analyzes the strategic consequences of concentrating population, employment, and infrastructure in the center of the country, and calls for setting measurable goals for developing the periphery.

Dr. Esther Luzzatto argues in an opinion piece that the Negev and the Galilee have been left behind in national priorities, contrary to David Ben-Gurion's vision that saw population dispersal as a supreme security and demographic need. She quotes Ben-Gurion as saying, "If we do not stand up to the desert, Tel Aviv will not stand," and recalls past policies such as the establishment of the 11 points in the Negev in 1946 and the lookouts in the Galilee in 1979. According to data from the Ministry of the Negev and the Galilee, about 2.48 million people live in these areas on about 70% of Israel's territory, but most growth engines are concentrated in the center. Luzzatto warns that the concentration of population and infrastructure in the center creates security vulnerabilities, and accuses the political echelon of lacking a measurable national plan. She calls for setting population, employment, and infrastructure targets for the coming decade, with a transparent annual report to the public.