Over 3,000 Families Apply to Join 18 New Settlements in Northern Samaria Under 'Connection Plan'
The Shomron Regional Council has reported an overwhelming response to its initiative to establish 18 new settlements in northern Samaria, with over 3,000 families from across Israel applying to join these new settlement cores. The campaign is part of the "Connection Plan," launched following a cabinet decision led by Finance Minister and Defense Ministry official Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz. This plan complements the "Million in Samaria" strategy developed by Shomron Council head Yossi Dagan about three years ago, aiming to increase the population of Samaria to one million residents.
The 18 settlements include the four northern Samaria communities evacuated during the Disengagement Plan, Homesh, Sha-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim, alongside 14 additional new settlements at strategic locations, some based on government decisions. Approximately 50% of applicants come from Judea and Samaria, 30% from the central region and Jerusalem (including Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, and Netanya), with the remainder from other parts of Israel. Jewish families from abroad, including Switzerland and Miami, are also considering immigration to Israel through this program.
Demographically, about half of the applicants are young couples in their 20s, 30% are aged 30 to 55, and the rest are over 60. Professionally, 40% work in education and care, 25% in engineering, high-tech, and freelance professions, with the rest in construction, agriculture, and manual labor. The settlement cores for Ganim, Kadim, Homesh, Sha-Nur, and Noa are nearly full, with only a few spots remaining.
Upcoming developments include the establishment of a family core on Mount Ebal, alongside a branch of the Alon Moreh Yeshiva already operating there. Initial settlers for Ganim will be graduates of the Eli Yeshiva, while Kadim will be populated by families from the Tel Aviv Yeshiva. In the Dotan Valley, a branch of the Baruchin Yeshiva will be established alongside families from Tiberias, Lod, and Baruchin. Settlement cores for Shalem, Maayanot, and Merom Gilboa are also in advanced stages and expected to begin after the Tishrei holidays.
Yossi Dagan, who was uprooted from Sha-Nur during the Disengagement Plan and later returned, said the response "warms the heart and proves that the people of Israel have not forgotten their roots." He emphasized that the "Connection Plan" was deliberately named to contrast with the "Disengagement Plan," which represented a severance from the land and Israeli values. The new plan symbolizes a reconnection to Israel's foundational values.
Alongside housing development, the council is working to establish community and educational frameworks in the new settlements, including a branch of the "Bnei David" Yeshiva from the settlement of Eli, led by Rabbi Neria Bulak, as well as pre-military and yeshiva institutions under Rabbi Chaim Baruch. The initiative is carried out in cooperation with the Israeli government, Defense Minister Katz, and Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
