Ben Gvir and Dagan Lay Cornerstone for New Neighborhood in Northern West Bank Settlement

A cornerstone-laying ceremony took place on Monday in the northern West Bank settlement of Hinanit to mark the start of a new neighborhood development. The event was attended by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Shomron Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, local leadership, hundreds of residents, and guests. The ceremony highlighted the ongoing development momentum in northern Shomron and emphasized the new neighborhood as part of strengthening Jewish settlement in the area.

Ben Gvir stated that sovereignty is not only determined by government decisions but by the daily reality created by families building homes and new neighborhoods. He praised Hinanit as an example of pioneering Zionism and affirmed efforts to expand and protect settlements, including leading a major firearms reform and establishing over a thousand security rooms nationwide. Ben Gvir pledged to continue working with Yossi Dagan to bolster settlement growth in Shomron.

Yossi Dagan described strengthening settlement presence in northern Shomron as "the real security" that will restore calm to Israel. He called the expansion of Hinanit, 21 years after its evacuation, the most significant Zionist achievement of their generation. Dagan thanked Ben Gvir for his contributions to security and settlement support, including expanding eligibility for personal firearms and aiding heritage sites. He also acknowledged the local leadership and developers.

Ze'ev Greenberg, deputy CEO and owner of Midar company involved in the project, called the cornerstone laying an emotional milestone and expressed hope to soon hand over keys to new residents. Hinanit's management committee head, Or Yakubovitch, noted the settlement is doubling in size with about 200 families, with both new families arriving and the next generation choosing to stay, demonstrating a strong future for the community.