(JNS) Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said this week that Israel would approve a “national plan” for the Golan Heights in six weeks’ time, calling the development of the area a “strategic goal” for the country.

“Exactly 40 years ago, the government of Israel, led by Menachem Begin, made an incredibly brave and important decision: to apply Israeli law to the Golan Heights,” said Bennett at the Makor Rishon Golan Heights Economic and Regional Development Conference.

“Almost three years ago,” he continued, “we were informed of another significant development: the decision of the previous American administration to recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel—a perception that has been adopted by the current administration.”

The premier noted that while there was “wall-to-wall agreement” regarding the Golan Heights, with the slogan, “The People are with the Golan” being familiar to every Israeli child, the Golan’s potential was far from being realized.

“It is not enough to say, ‘The people are with the Golan Heights,’” he said. “The people need to be on the Golan Heights. And for this, the government also needs to be [there]. And today there is such a government.” He added that Israel needs to encourage those who sought and seek to build a life in the Golan “in every way.”

“In six weeks we will hold a Cabinet meeting at which we will approve a national plan for the Golan Heights. Our goal is to double, and double again, the number of residents in the Golan Heights. The establishment of two new communities, jobs and more investments in infrastructure,” said the prime minister.

The government is working on a plan that will change the face of the Golan, said Bennett, and will allocate the necessary resources to implement it.