New Film Documents 2005 Evacuation Vow and Return to Northern Samaria

A new film released by the Samaria Regional Council documents the 2005 evacuation of the settlement of Sa-Nur in northern Samaria, juxtaposing footage of the expulsion with scenes of renewed settlement construction in the area 21 years later. The film, part of the council's "Connection Plan," includes rare footage shot by Gabi Newman from the roof of the Sa-Nur fortress during the final moments of the struggle against the disengagement. The footage captures residents and activists barricaded on the roof as security forces breach the site.

A prominent moment in the film shows Yossi Dagan, then the families' coordinator for Sa-Nur and now head of the Samaria Regional Council, tearing his shirt while holding a Torah scroll. Rabbi Dov Lior instructed Dagan to recite the blessing "Baruch Dayan Ha'emet" (Blessed is the true judge), comparing the event to the destruction of the Temple. Dagan then made a vow, "We pledge here, before us, before the Torah, and before the world, that we and the people of Israel will return to Sa-Nur!"

The film then transitions to footage of the return to Sa-Nur and the re-establishment of settlements in northern Samaria, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony where Dagan declared, "We have returned home. Our beloved Sa-Nur, we have returned to you again, and this time forever!" Dagan also recited the "Mitziv Gvul Almanah" blessing, said upon seeing Jewish homes in their settlements.

The return to Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim is part of a broader settlement initiative by the Samaria Regional Council, aiming to establish 19 settlements in northern Samaria, replacing the four evacuated in 2005. This plan, known as the "Connection Plan," seeks to expand the Samaria population to one million residents and includes developing new settlements in various areas.

The film also features personal stories from families who have joined the settlement efforts, including the Atias family in Kadim, the Nasimi family planning to move to the new settlement Noa, and the Okon family from Ganim, who connect their return to northern Samaria with the dream of returning to the Gush Katif settlements. Naomi Afan and the Dvir family from Eival share their feelings about leaving an established community for this historical move, while families in the Dotan Valley discuss their decision to join the expanding settlement continuum. Dagan stated that the return to northern Samaria is more than just rebuilding four settlements, declaring, "What is happening here is much more than a return to four settlements. All of northern Samaria is reawakening. People are returning, families are arriving, settlements are being built, and new settlements are being planned. 21 years ago, they expelled us from here, and today the people of Israel are returning here in a much larger scope. In place of the disengagement plan, we are presenting the connection plan. Not four settlements, nineteen. Northern Samaria is returning to being a central, flourishing, and developing part of the State of Israel."