New Settlement 'Rom Gilboa' Established in Samaria, Third in a Week

The settlement drive in northern Samaria continues with the establishment of a new community called "Rom Gilboa" on Thursday, marking the arrival of its first families. This is the third new settlement founded in the region within a single week and the eleventh established in Samaria in less than a year. An official establishment ceremony is scheduled for later in the day, attended by ministers, Knesset members, and public figures.

Rom Gilboa is situated near Malkishua and Kibbutz Merav, east of Ganim and Kadim, overlooking the Be'er Sheva Valley. This area was previously a site from which terrorists fired upon Kibbutz Merav. The establishment of Rom Gilboa is part of the "Connection Plan" led by the Samaria Regional Council, in cooperation with the Amona movement and the Settlement Division. This plan aims to establish 19 new settlements in northern Samaria, following the evacuation of four settlements during the 2005 disengagement.

The initiative aligns with the Council's "Million in Samaria" program. Yossi Dagan, Head of the Samaria Regional Council, welcomed the new settlement, stating, "In the area from which they used to shoot at Kibbutz Merav, we are establishing a thriving settlement, forever. Rom Gilboa strengthens the Israeli presence in the area between northern Samaria, Gilboa, and the Be'er Sheva Valley." He added, "Three settlements in a week is a clear statement: the people of Israel are not retreating from their land. We are here to stay, build, and grow, on the way to a million residents in Samaria."

Yafit Eider, who is moving to the new settlement with her husband and one-year-old son, expressed her excitement, saying, "In 15 years, my baby will be able to say he was part of establishing a settlement in the Land of Israel, it's both moving and incredible." She emphasized the community's strength and support, comparing the current endeavor to historical land reclamation efforts. Rom Gilboa joins other recently established settlements in northern Samaria, alongside the renewal of communities like Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim, which were evacuated during the disengagement.