Role and timing of complementary objectives of a regional policy,the case of Northern Israel

The lessons of a regional development policy for Northern Israel are evaluated. The policy has been led by two complementary objectives: the creation of a demographic balance in favour of Jews and the geographical development of a continuous network of Jewish settlements. Each objective had its appropriate spatial timing in the regional process. The first took advantage of geopolitical needs, ideological values and social conditions of the evolving nation during its pre-state and its early years. Attempts to reach the other objective through urban development programmes had failed until recently due to the strong polarization effects of Metropolitan Haifa. Starting in the mid 1970s, spontaneous metropolitan spread effects have created favourable conditions of growth. They have been reflected by both urban growth and massive rural development throughout the spillover effect area of the metropolis.