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31°19′43″N / 34°53′28″E
October 9, 2011. Grading earthworks in preparation for the first plots and the main road arteries of the future settlement of Carmit beside the Kramim Forest, in the most prized section of the Northern Negev. It is expected that there will be 2,500 housing units, each on a 1/8-acre plot. Aimed at attracting affluent immigrants, the Carmit community website states that it accepts Israelis and new immigrant families “to create a unique and diverse community in the Negev.” Supported by the JNF, the Israel Land Authority, and the OR Movement (which supports settlement construction in the Negev and Galilee), amongst others, the aim is to put the Negev on the map as one of the most sought-after residential areas in Israel. The first neighborhood is estimated to be ready to be occupied in early 2016. A secure compound for the planning and construction crews appears in the top left.