New Jewish Settlement Emek Dotan Established in Northern West Bank to Expand Regional Presence

Twenty-two pioneering families established the new settlement of Emek Dotan on Sunday morning near the historic Emek Dotan area in northern Samaria (West Bank). The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by prominent figures including Shomron Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, Education Minister Yoav Kish, Minister Ze'ev Elkin, former Housing Minister MK Yitzhak Goldknopf, and Knesset members Ariel Kallner, Amit Halevi, Boaz Bismuth, and Nissim Vaturi. Also present were representatives from the Amana movement, settlement division CEO Hoshea Harari, "Homesh First" activists, local leaders, and the founding families.

Emek Dotan is the first new settlement established in northern Samaria since the 2005 disengagement plan evacuated four settlements in the area. It is part of the Shomron Council's "Connection Plan," which aims to create 19 new settlements in northern Samaria, marking the fastest and largest settlement expansion in Israel in decades. The location is historically significant, linked to the biblical story of Joseph searching for his brothers and the legendary 1948 battle of Brigade 45, which secured northern Samaria for Israel.

Yossi Dagan described the establishment as a historic rectification of the 2005 uprooting, emphasizing that instead of four evacuated settlements, 19 new ones will rise, strengthening Jewish presence and security in the region. He thanked Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for their support. Education Minister Yoav Kish announced the opening of a kindergarten in the settlement starting this year, highlighting the ideological and national importance of the new community.

Minister Ze'ev Elkin recounted years of struggle to restore Jewish settlement in northern Samaria, while former Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf shared his emotional connection to the area. Amana Secretary General Ze'ev Haver praised the rapid pace of settlement construction. Rabbi Chaim Baruch, whose pre-military institutions contributed members to the founding core, spoke of returning home and repairing historical wrongs.

Knesset members expressed strong support, with Nissim Vaturi calling Emek Dotan a flourishing community that strengthens Israel's hold on the land, Boaz Bismuth calling it a historic morning, Amit Halevi encouraging courage despite opposition, and Ariel Kallner affirming the enduring spirit of settlement. The founding core is led by Amitai Weiss, who sees the families as part of a broad effort to strengthen settlement in the area. The Shomron Council states that the arrival of these 22 families is only the beginning of a much larger expansion effort in northern Samaria.