New Documentary by Shimon Riklin Explores West Bank Settlement Expansion

Media personality and Channel 14 host Shimon Riklin is launching a new documentary project titled "Lords of All the Land." The first episode, "Crossing the Jordan," is set to air on Channel 14 at 10:30 PM, following the program "The Patriots." Riklin described the film as chronicling "the greatest revolution in the history of Zionism," focusing on the establishment of hundreds of settlements and farms, road construction, vineyard planting, dairy farm creation, and a deep connection to the land of Israel in an unprecedented short period since the Jewish return from exile.

The documentary highlights a strategic shift in Judea and Samaria settlement policy in recent years, moving from fenced urban settlements to a model of shepherd farms and agriculture. This new approach contrasts with the post-1970s focus on community settlements and cities that, while housing large populations, occupied relatively limited areas and left open spaces without permanent presence. The farm model, conversely, involves small groups, sometimes a single family and volunteers, establishing basic structures and livestock pens. The flocks are used not just for economic purposes but as a means of asserting control over territory, with shepherds creating continuous presence over thousands of dunams in Area C through daily grazing, thereby preventing Palestinian farmers and shepherds from occupying the land.

Riklin presents this phenomenon as a return to the pioneering ethos of connecting with the land and manual labor, emphasizing the social aspect of volunteers from diverse backgrounds, including secular individuals, kibbutz members, and pre-military academy trainees, joining the effort. The film also examines the institutional support these farms have received, particularly from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Minister for Settlement Affairs and National Missions Orit Strock, who have worked to fund, protect, and legally regulate them.

Smotrich's tenure as Finance Minister and his role in the "Settlement Administration" marked a significant policy change in government activity in Judea and Samaria. Under his leadership, the government has advanced the regularization of dozens of young outposts and settlement points, alongside unprecedented declarations of tens of thousands of dunams as state land. Concurrently, the Settlement Administration and the Ministry for National Missions, headed by Orit Strock, have allocated specific budgets for infrastructure, security, and logistical support to shepherd farms, viewing them as crucial anchors for preserving open spaces in Area C.

This documentary is the third in a political-cinematic trilogy by Riklin for Channel 14. Previous works include "The Shin Bet Knew" (2025), about the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and the four-part series "Always Guilty" (2025), which examined the history of religious Zionism, the disengagement from Gush Katif, and its connection to the October 7th events. Riklin, a columnist and host of "Riklin & Co.," is known as a prominent figure on the Israeli right and a strong supporter of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Channel 14, established to provide a platform for content aligned with right-wing traditions and values, continues to integrate ideological documentary productions into its prime-time schedule with this film.