The government approved a proposal to name Route 443 “The Levites Way” in memory of the late foreign affairs minister David Levy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Transportation and Road Safety Minister Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Miri Regev announced in a joint statement on Tuesday.
The proposed renaming was put forth by Netanyahu and Regev to commemorate both Levy’s service to the State of Israel and the Tribe of Levi’s historical connection to the region.
“We are proud today to commemorate his memory on a road that connects our capital, Jerusalem, with the center of the country, as a symbol of a man who dedicated his life and energy to the unity of Israel,” Netanyahu said in the joint statement.
Route 443 is a major road that connects Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Modi’in, Judea and Samaria, and the Judean foothills. The specific section of the road being renamed is between the Ben Shemen Interchange in Central Israel and the Beituniya-Givat Ze’ev Junction right outside Jerusalem.
The Ministry of Transportation and Road Safety will work with the Defense Ministry to update the road’s signage. The Government Secretariat will also issue the route’s name in Israel’s official gazette, Reshumot.
Shluhot Reservoir to be named after Levy as well
The naming of Route 443 follows Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen’s decision to name the newly inaugurated Shluhot Reservoir after Levy on Sunday.
In 1957, Levy immigrated from North Africa to Israel’s Beit She’an region, which the new Shluhot Reservoir will connect to Israel’s National Water System.
Levy served for many years as Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Construction and Housing Minister, and Aliyah and Integration Minister. He was also a Member of the Knesset for 37 years, from 1969 to 2006.
“From his childhood in Beit She'an, he broke barriers and reached the leadership of the nation, where he championed social action and assistance for disadvantaged populations, while promoting peripheral towns,” Netanyahu said. “He was a loyal representative of the State of Israel and stood our ground proudly before the nations of the world.