The Israel Land Authority (RMI / רמ״י) is moving military bases and large industrial facilities out of central Israel to free strategically located land for new housing. According to a September 2025 RMI presentation, base evacuation alone holds potential for roughly 60,000 housing units, though evacuation costs, soil contamination and long procedures must be resolved before any construction can begin.
For land investors, this is one of the most significant supply shifts in Israeli real estate. Marshanski Legacy, a third-generation family building company based in Tel Aviv specializing in Israel Land Authority tenders and land development, tracks these releases closely because they determine where tomorrow's residential zones will actually appear.
What is the Israel Land Authority (RMI / רמ״י) doing with military bases?
The Israel Land Authority (RMI / רמ״י) manages the vast majority of state-owned land in the country. When a military base or defense facility sits on high-value urban land, that land is effectively locked out of the housing market. Relocating the facility unlocks it.
The scale is substantial. According to Ynetnews, Israel's Land Authority launched an expedited process to move military bases outside populated cities in central Israel to free land for approximately 60,000 housing units. A separate agreement signed by the Defense Ministry, Finance Ministry and the Israel Land Authority covers the evacuation of 11 IDF bases in central Israel and the Haifa area, as Ynetnews reports, making way for about 19,000 housing units.
How much land does base relocation actually release?
The numbers are large because the parcels are large. The Shoham 4 agreement, for example, covers about 2,300 dunams — roughly 2.3 million square meters, or about 568 acres — and will allow construction of around 19,000 homes plus approximately 1,000 hotel rooms, according to Ynetnews. These are not scattered lots; they are contiguous, well-connected sites in regions where demand already outstrips supply.
Why does the ELTA facility in Ashdod matter for investors?
The September 2025 Israel Land Authority (RMI / רמ״י) presentation singled out the planned relocation of the ELTA facility in Ashdod as a way to remove building restrictions and support wider urban development. The restrictions tied to the active facility have long held back construction across a meaningful slice of the city.
The financial commitment is real. According to Globes, the state will pay NIS 4 billion for Israel Aerospace's Elta unit to vacate its Ashdod campus so that 70,000 housing units can be built on the site. The same report notes that the Elta factory and its surroundings occupy 194 dunams — about 48.5 acres. Removing one facility can therefore reshape an entire urban district's development ceiling.
What are the risks and costs behind the housing potential?
The headline unit counts come with heavy conditions. The RMI presentation was explicit that the potential depends on resolving evacuation costs, soil contamination, remediation, infrastructure relocation and lengthy procedures before any shovel hits the ground.
Each of these can stretch timelines by years and change the economics of a site. A plot that looks ready on paper may carry contamination remediation obligations, or require new roads, water and power infrastructure before it is buildable.
- Evacuation costs: The state is paying NIS 4 billion for the Elta campus alone, per Globes — a signal of how expensive clearing a single facility can be.
- Soil contamination and remediation: Former military and industrial sites often require environmental cleanup before residential use.
- Infrastructure relocation: Power, water, roads and utilities frequently need to be re-routed.
- Lengthy procedures: Delays are common. According to the Israel State Comptroller, the war created an additional anticipated delay of around two and a half years in the IMI Systems complex evacuation, potentially deferring approximately NIS 4 billion of state revenue.
How large is the overall opportunity?
Zoomed out, the figures are striking. According to World Israel News, military base relocation will unlock approximately $21.7 billion in high-value real estate in central Israel, enabling construction of between 60,000 and 100,000 new apartments. That is the opportunity set investors are now trying to position for ahead of formal tenders.
How can investors act on released land through RMI tenders?
Released land does not reach private investors directly. In most cases, it flows to the market through Israel Land Authority tenders — competitive processes with specific terms, deadlines and eligibility rules. Succeeding requires reading each tender carefully and acting before the submission window closes.
A practical approach looks like this:
- Track releases early. Monitor which facilities are slated for relocation and where the freed land will be rezoned for housing.
- Assess the site's true condition. Factor in contamination, remediation obligations and infrastructure gaps, not just the raw unit potential.
- Model the timeline. Build in realistic delays; revenue and development can shift by years, as the IMI case shows.
- Review the tender terms. Understand payment schedules, development obligations and the land value basis before bidding.
- Appraise before committing. An independent property appraisal keeps your bid grounded in defensible numbers.
This is where a local partner matters. Marshanski Legacy maintains a searchable Israel Land Authority tender database that is checked, scanned and analyzed daily, so investors can spot relevant opportunities as they are published rather than after the deadline. The firm supports property investment and development from initial land research through project initiation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many housing units could military base relocation release in Israel?
The September 2025 RMI presentation attributed potential for roughly 60,000 housing units to military-base evacuation. Broader estimates from World Israel News put the range at 60,000 to 100,000 apartments across central Israel once relocations are complete.
What is happening with the ELTA facility in Ashdod?
The state agreed to pay NIS 4 billion for Israel Aerospace's Elta unit to leave its Ashdod campus, according to Globes, clearing the way for 70,000 housing units. The 194-dunam site has restricted nearby construction for years, so its relocation also lifts limits on surrounding development.
Why isn't the released land available for housing immediately?
Former bases and industrial sites usually need environmental remediation, infrastructure relocation and planning approvals first. Evacuation itself is costly and slow — the Israel State Comptroller noted a roughly two-and-a-half-year war-related delay to the IMI Systems complex evacuation alone.
How do investors buy land released by the Israel Land Authority (RMI / רמ״י)?
Released land typically reaches investors through competitive Israel Land Authority tenders. Each tender has its own terms, land value, deadlines and development obligations, so reviewing the full documentation and timing a bid correctly is essential.
What is the total value of real estate this could unlock?
World Israel News reported that relocating military bases could unlock approximately $21.7 billion in high-value real estate in central Israel. The value reflects the strategic, well-connected locations these facilities currently occupy.
How does Marshanski Legacy help with land tenders?
Marshanski Legacy, based in Tel Aviv, researches land tenders, appraises property and guides development from start to finish. It runs a daily-updated, searchable database of Israel Land Authority tenders so investors can identify and act on relevant opportunities on time.