Pressure is increasing for sovereignty in the Samaria region: Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, today (Monday) opened the Samaria & Arutz Sheva Sovereignty Conference on the State’s “balcony” in Pedu’el, with participation from senior coalition figures, ministers, Knesset members and bereaved families.
The conference opened with a call to fully apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria — not only according to the left’s area-block plan. At the start of the event Dagan stressed that Samaria is a central territory for the security and identity of the Jewish people, urged the government to stop hesitating and to impose full sovereignty, and promised to increase public-relations and archaeological activity in the area.
He began with forceful words of support for Jewish presence in Samaria and for the importance of Samaria: “There isn’t a group I bring here that is not astonished at how small and narrow the State of Israel is, including the towns of Samaria. It’s especially narrow. There are only 70 kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. Fifty-five of those are the towns of Samaria — my council.” According to him, Samaria’s geographic location underlines the importance of control and connection to the land for the state’s security and civilian functioning.
Dagan also delivered sharp criticism of the government and called for immediate action: “The fact that the full-rights right-wing government has still not applied full sovereignty in Judea and Samaria is a disgrace. It’s time for deeds. Full sovereignty over all the communities and areas — victory in war. Victory is territory. Missing this opportunity could affect us for generations, and I call on the prime minister and cabinet ministers to turn declarations into actions.”
He went on to emphasize that the public and leaders outside Israel do not understand the reality without direct exposure: “When people from the US stand here they can’t understand how small and narrow Israel is. People don’t know. The lack of familiarity and understanding creates ignorance that stands against the Jewish communities, and therefore there is a need for ongoing investment in education, tourism and archaeological activity to connect the heart of the people of Israel to the heart of the Land of Israel and to influence decision-makers around the world.”
On the political-security front Dagan linked recent events, the international headlines and some countries’ desire to promote political solutions, warning of their consequences: “The fact that ultimately the ‘reward’ for the terrorism and for the October 7 massacre is that the world suddenly wants to give them a state — this is a fact. Sometimes there’s talk of establishing a terror state here in the heart of the country. After each wave of attacks here in Israel, there are attacks in Europe and in the US.”
Later in his speech he boasted about investments being made in the region and projects to change perceptions and realities on the ground: “Just yesterday we inaugurated the first screening center in Judea and Samaria in Shavei Shomron. The goal of ‘A Million on the Map’ project is to bring a million visitors here. Strengthening civilian presence, tourism and archaeological excavations are central means of bolstering the historical and legal argument for sovereignty.”
At the opening of the conference Dagan said: “Full sovereignty now is historical justice — it is victory in war. The people of Israel need victory. Sovereignty here in Judea and Samaria is the victory. Full sovereignty in Judea and Samaria is Israel's lifeline and safety belt. Sovereignty is a consensus — this is our land. Now is the time to bring sovereignty. Not the nonsense of Jewish blocs, of the Geneva Initiative and of the left, which would mean applying sovereignty only to Jewish blocs and letting the barbarians establish a Palestinian state. That is exactly the left’s plans. We must bring full sovereignty — one that will not establish a Palestinian state.”