Israeli Planning Map Omits West Bank, Sparking Sovereignty Concerns

Nadya Matar, the chairwoman of the Women in Green organization, has voiced alarm over the exclusion of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) from Israel's national outline plan for 2026. She argues that this omission signifies a lack of Israeli sovereignty over the region, leaving the future of hundreds of thousands of Jewish residents uncertain.

In an interview with Dr. Chana Katana, Matar presented the national planning map, highlighting the absence of Judea and Samaria as a critical issue. She stated that as long as the area is not an integral part of Israel's planning and sovereignty, the future of its settlements remains precarious, emphasizing that the situation is reversible. Matar drew a parallel to cities within Israel's sovereign territory, asserting that residents of Judea and Samaria still live under political ambiguity.

Matar believes that extending Israeli sovereignty is essential not only to expand settlements but to permanently anchor their status. She warned against the current situation, where Israel has not resolved the territory's future, while other entities continue to advance their own plans, creating a race for sovereignty.

Her activism began in Antwerp, Belgium, in a traditional Jewish home with strong Zionist ties. Matar recounted her childhood, her connection to Jewish identity, and her decision to immigrate to Israel, influenced by events like the 1976 Entebbe operation. She described her desire to be actively involved in the Jewish homeland, comparing life outside Israel to being in the stands rather than on the field.

After immigrating to Israel and marrying David Matar, a pediatrician, they settled in Efrat. A turning point came in 1993 with the Oslo Accords, which prompted her and her mother-in-law, Ruth Matar, to co-found the protest movement "Women for Israel's Future," later known as "Women in Green." The group protested against the accords and later against the disengagement from Gaza, where Matar and her children lived for several months.

Following the Gaza disengagement, Matar and her partner Yehudit Katsover shifted their focus to Judea and Samaria, identifying increased Palestinian construction supported by international entities. They initiated tree-planting campaigns and efforts to strengthen Jewish presence in the area. By 2011, Katsover concluded that local activism was insufficient and that a clear political vision was needed beyond opposing a Palestinian state.

This led to the current focus on advancing Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. Matar argued that while Israel achieved a military victory in the Six-Day War, it failed to complete the political process, leaving the territories' status unresolved. She expressed pride in being called a "settler" (mitnachelet), viewing it as a connection to ancestral inheritance, and stated that her movement addresses the implications of sovereignty, including the status of Palestinian residents.

Matar also discussed balancing her intensive public activism with family life, raising six children and becoming a grandmother. She concluded by stating her preference for "big talk" over small talk, emphasizing her dedication to issues concerning the Jewish people and the Land of Israel.