New Settlement Emek Dotan Established in Northern West Bank with Government Support

A new Israeli settlement named Emek Dotan was officially established in the northern West Bank during a festive ceremony attended by key political figures and settlers. The event took place near the historic Emek Dotan and Joseph's Well, with 22 families moving onto the land to found the community. The ceremony included participation from Shomron Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Minister Ze'ev Elkin, former Housing Minister and Knesset member Yitzhak Goldknopf, and several other Knesset members.

This settlement is the first new community established in northern Shomron since the four settlements were evacuated under the Disengagement Plan 21 years ago. It is also the fifth settlement founded by the Shomron Regional Council in less than a year. The establishment follows a government decision made about a year ago, led by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, as part of the "Connection Plan" aimed at creating 19 new settlements in the northern West Bank to strengthen security and Israeli presence.

At the ceremony, Yossi Dagan emphasized the historical significance, stating that the move corrects a past injustice and demonstrates the return and growth of Jewish settlement in the area. Education Minister Yoav Kisch announced that a kindergarten for the children of Emek Dotan will open at the start of the school year. Minister Ze'ev Elkin described the settlement's establishment as the fulfillment of the struggle to restore Jewish presence in northern Shomron. Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth called the day a historic and emotional morning for the region. The founding community leader, Amitai Weiss, expressed hope for the settlement's growth as a happy, communal, and religious community.