Tel Aviv, March 24 -- The Knesset's Economic Affairs Committee unanimously advanced plans for a new Israeli international airport near Beer-Sheva on Sunday.

The airport would be built in Moshav Nevatim within seven years, handle up to 15 million passengers, and lift the Negev region's economy, according to the legislation's explanatory notes.

"This bill is a game-changer for the future of the Negev, which has endured years of unfulfilled promises," said Dimona Mayor Benny Biton who attended the committee meeting. "The widespread support for this bill is clear proof that there is a deep understanding - the Negev is the future growth and development hub of Israel in the coming decades."

The new airport is expected to create 50,000 jobs....