A group of families advocating for returning to Sa-Nur today visited the former town in northern Samaria today, marking 20 years since their expulsion and two years since the Knesset repealed parts of the 2005 Disengagement Law.
The visit follows a recent cabinet decision, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to officially re-recognize Sa-Nur as a town under the jurisdiction of the Samaria Regional Council.
Among those returning to the site were Minister Smotrich and Samaria governor Yossi Dagan, himself a former resident of Sa-Nur who was evicted two decades ago. The group—consisting of evicted families and young couples—departed from Shavei Shomron and made their way along familiar paths back to the site.
The returning residents held their first meeting inside the fortress building at the center of the former town. They then began clearing debris that had accumulated in the area in recent years.
Throughout the morning, the Samaria Regional Council hosted a special event for former resdents at the site, which included addresses and blessings from both Smotrich and Dagan.
Minister Smotrich reflected on the past and the renewed presence in Sa-Nur: “The struggle against the expulsion was resolute. We hoped to prevent what we saw as a grave mistake, but even then, we knew we would one day return. This is true for Gaza and certainly for Samaria. These towns once served as a strategic buffer, and since the eviction, terror infrastructure has taken root, which we’ve been forced to address with full force over the past year.”
He added that the repeal of the Disengagement Law and the government’s plan to establish 50 new communities—including the renewed recognition of Sa-Nur—reflect national support for the settlers and appreciation for their dedication to the land.
“With God’s help, we will continue to build and work toward applying full sovereignty across all areas of the Land of Israel,” he concluded.
Govenor Dagan also spoke emotionally about the return:
“Twenty years after the injustice of the expulsion, we are now part of its correction. Personally and nationally, I feel a full-circle moment today. For the first time, we’ve returned as an official group—after the repeal of the law, following the government’s recognition of Sa-Nur—alongside government officials and the IDF. This time, the return is with purpose: permanence.”
Dagan reaffirmed the community’s long-standing efforts:
“We’ve been fighting for this since the day we were expelled, vowing never to give up. We came back today, started clearing the area, and we’re here to stay. We’ve returned to Homesh, and we will return to Ganim, Kadim, and eventually, Gush Katif.”
He concluded by thanking Minister Smotrich for his role in advancing the cabinet’s decision to re-recognize Sa-Nur and Homesh.