Yossi Dagan: A Leading Voice for West Bank Settlements and Israeli Sovereignty

Yossi Dagan, the head of the Samaria Regional Council since 2015, has been a prominent advocate for Israeli settlement expansion and sovereignty in the West Bank. He was re-elected in February 2024 with nearly 80% of the vote. Dagan is not running for the Knesset in the upcoming 2026 elections, but his political group, 'My Likud,' has influenced the Likud party's primary list, with 13 of its endorsed candidates securing spots in the top twenty.

Dagan, who was the secretary of Sa-Nur when it was evacuated during the 2005 disengagement, has been a leading figure in the campaign to re-establish northern Samaria settlements. He has actively engaged with Republican and Evangelical leaders in the United States to promote Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. His political career began with the youth movement of the Moledet party, and he has held various positions within the settlement movement and regional council, eventually becoming acting head of the council in May 2015 and elected head in August 2015.

His tenure has been marked by efforts to rebuild settlements like Homesh and Sa-Nur, which were evacuated during the disengagement. Dagan has been a vocal critic of Israeli government policies he perceives as hindering settlement growth and has called for decisive action against Palestinian terrorism, including advocating for the removal of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. He has also been a strong supporter of former U.S. President Donald Trump, engaging with his administration and advocating for policies favorable to the settlement movement.

Dagan has also been involved in promoting economic development in the Samaria region, including infrastructure projects and export agreements. He has publicly supported Donald Trump's candidacy and has been a key figure in fostering relationships with American Evangelicals who advocate for Israeli annexation of the West Bank. His political group, 'My Likud,' has become a significant bloc within the Likud party, influencing its primary elections.

In response to security incidents, Dagan has often called for stronger Israeli military action and has criticized what he views as the government's failure to ensure security. He has also spoken out against what he terms "extreme left-wing campaigns" and has defended settlers against accusations of violence, while also condemning violence by Jewish individuals, stating that a Jewish teenager burning a house is a dangerous criminal.