Israel Signs Historic Housing and Infrastructure Deal for Samaria Regional Council

Israel's government has signed its first-ever master agreement with a regional council, marking a historic development for the Samaria Regional Council in the West Bank. The agreement, signed in the presence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Housing Minister Haim Katz, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Israel Land Authority Director Yehuda Eliyahu, and Samaria Council Head Yossi Dagan, includes plans for approximately 12,000 new housing units and an investment exceeding 8 billion shekels in infrastructure, public institutions, and regional development.

This unprecedented deal expands the master agreement model to a regional council and rural area for the first time. It covers the construction of thousands of residential units across multiple settlements, alongside the development of commercial, industrial, and employment zones. The infrastructure investment is divided into about 1.5 billion shekels for major infrastructure projects and nearly 7 billion shekels for local infrastructure, public institutions, and "old versus new" projects aimed at strengthening existing communities while supporting new growth.

Planned improvements include upgrading roads, intersections, and public spaces, implementing drainage solutions, and developing open areas. Minister Katz described the agreement as a "giant step" for Jewish settlement in Samaria and a practical expression of the government's commitment to strategic rural construction and demographic growth. Finance Minister Smotrich emphasized the deal as part of a broader settlement revolution in Judea and Samaria, rejecting any plans to evacuate settlements or establish a Palestinian state.

Yehuda Eliyahu highlighted the agreement's role in providing planning and budgetary certainty, enabling rapid advancement of housing projects and balanced community development. Samaria Council Head Yossi Dagan celebrated the deal as a major leap forward for the region's 18 northern settlements, aiming to reach a population of one million residents in Judea and Samaria, which he called Israel's future both ethically and security-wise.