New jurisdictional boundaries will allow major future expansion Jewish communities throughout Judea and Samaria including Efrat.
In August 2026, IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth signed 18 new jurisdictional orders covering new communities, developing communities and major expansions of existing towns. he move was carried out following work by the Settlement Administration and Civil Administration, and forms part of what Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich has described as Israel’s “settlement revolution.”
In Efrat, the jurisdictional boundary surrounding Givat HaEitam will be expanded, opening the way for future planning that could ultimately allow thousands of new housing units. Givat HaEitam, located north of Efrat’s existing neighborhoods, has long been viewed as the community’s principal reserve for large-scale future growth.
The jurisdictional change does not itself constitute approval to build thousands of homes. Individual construction plans will still have to pass through the relevant planning processes. But bringing the area into Efrat’s jurisdiction is an important administrative step toward advancing those plans. Tuesday’s announcement specifically states that the expansion is expected to enable thousands of future housing units.
