The IDF announced Tuesday that it is “reviewing and reconsidering” its plan to build a combat training complex in the Ein Fit area of northern Golan Heights. The decision came after a heated discussion in the Knesset’s Interior and Environmental Protection Committee, chaired by MK Yitzhak Kroizer (Otzma Yehudit), who called the move “a dramatic victory for nature and the Golan.”
Ein Fit and its surroundings are considered a unique ecological and cultural treasure. The spring serves as a critical wildlife corridor and watering source for animals, surrounded by ruins of an ancient Syrian village and historical agricultural terraces.
Despite its environmental importance, the IDF had advanced a plan to build an urban warfare training complex in the area, including dozens of concrete structures and heavy vehicle movement meant to simulate combat zones.
Environmentalists warn of “ecological disaster”
The plan was pushed through the Defense Installations Committee (Holmab) — a controversial mechanism that allows fast-tracking military projects outside the regular planning process, without public consultation or transparency. Environmental groups condemned the procedure, warning it could cause “irreversible ecological damage.”
Representatives from the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and Adam Teva V’Din (Israel Union for Environmental Defense) appeared before the Knesset committee, urging the government to immediately halt the project and explore alternative sites.
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A sign that was placed in the area by the government
(Photo: Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel)
Attorney Ortal Sanker of Adam Teva V’Din said: “The IDF’s decision to build a training base at Ein Fit should be canceled. It was made through a bypass planning mechanism, without proper environmental data or public participation. Even military facilities must go through a lawful planning process. We demand the decision be revoked, or at least reviewed through a transparent and regulated procedure.”
Lawmakers demand balance between defense and preservation
MK Kroizer, a Golan resident who initiated the debate, sharply criticized both the plan and its approval process. “If we want to build an Israeli society that balances security needs with protecting nature for future generations, we must preserve these unique places,” he said.
In response to public pressure, IDF representatives announced a significant shift, clarifying that the army is acting “to meet operational needs while ensuring optimal environmental protection.”
“We are reviewing and reconsidering the plan to establish the training facility and examining planning alternatives to prevent significant harm to the natural and cultural heritage of Ein Fit,” the IDF statement said.
Kroizer called on the Defense Ministry to suspend the project until it can be reassessed in full. “Sometimes the system charges ahead because of security constraints, but we must stop and understand the reality that has changed—nature cannot be restored once it’s gone. We must leave our children a landscape they can grow up in,” he said.
He also urged the Knesset to hold a classified follow-up session on Holmab’s planning procedures, allowing the IDF to present its full considerations and ensuring that qualified environmental representatives take part.
MK Yorai Lahav-Hertzanu (Yesh Atid), chair of the Knesset’s Environmental Lobby, added that “the decision to build a combat training base on a natural heritage site was flawed from the start. I understand and respect the security needs, but construction must go through a transparent planning process that includes an environmental impact study and public participation, while protecting classified information.”
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in response: “Contrary to claims, the planned facility at Ein Fit is being reevaluated as part of lessons learned from the war. The IDF constantly reviews its plans based on operational needs and defense assessments. The training facility is of clear operational importance, and its approval was granted in accordance with the law and in coordination with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Training facilities have a critical impact on the army’s preparedness for war.”