The Samaria (Shomron) Regional Council and Samaria College held a special Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony Sunday night, marking 40 years since the establishment of Israeli sovereignty over Sebastia - paving the way for wider control over Samaria. 

The event took place at the railway station in Sebastia and was attended by many veterans of the community, including Rabbi Menachem Felix - a leader of the Elon Moreh and Gush Emunim Torah communities; Samaria Regional Council Rabbi Elyakim Levanon; Rabbi Elishama Cohen, chief of the new Homesh yeshiva; Daniella Weiss; head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan; MK Mickey Zohar (Likud), and other public officials.

"We were among the first settlers in the inheritance of 400,000 inhabitants [of Judea-Samaria - ed.]," Dagan stated. "We are committed to reach one million within two decades."

"History is our job," he continued. "We will return, with G-d's help, to all the communities in northern Samaria from which we were expelled: Homesh, Sanur, Ganim and Kadim"

"40 years ago we were here alone and now 400,000 people live in Samaria," Weiss added. "We are in the midst of a tremendous redemption, we will not stop to build new communities through the groups who are with us here today." 

"This spirit will continue to beat in our hearts - there is a tremendous revival among the people of Israel and God's help the settlement movement will have a huge victory nationwide," Rabbi Levanon said.