Samaria Regional Council
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The Shomron Regional Council ( he, מועצה אזורית שומרון, ''Mo'atza Azorit Shomron'', English ''Samaria Regional Council'') is an Israeli regional council in the northern portion of the
Israeli-occupied West Bank The Israeli occupation of the West Bank began on 7 June 1967, when Israeli forces captured and occupied the territory (including East Jerusalem), then occupied by Jordan, during the Six-Day War, and continues to the present day. The status of ...
. Thirty-five Israeli settlements fall under its jurisdiction. As of December 2020 the jurisdiction area of the council has a population of about 47,200 people. The main offices are located in the Barkan Industrial Park. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this. Covering 2,800 square kilometers of the
West Bank The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
, it was, prior to the fall of 2005 when some of its municipal land was abandoned as part of
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan The Israeli disengagement from Gaza ( he, תוכנית ההתנתקות, ') was the unilateral dismantling in 2005 of the 21 Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip and the evacuation of Israeli settlers and army from inside the Gaza Strip. Th ...
, the largest Israeli regional council in municipal area. In August 2015,
Yossi Dagan Yossi Dagan ( he, יוסי דגן) is an Israeli activist and politician who has been the head of the Shomron Regional Council since August 2015. Dagan grew up in the Israeli towns of Bnei Brak and Pardes Katz. When he was in the tenth grade, ...
was elected to position of Chairman of Shomron Regional Council, with 62% of the vote.


Geography

The municipal area of the Council spreads across 2,800 square kilometers, which corresponds to about 10 percent of the area of the State of Israel within the Green Line. In municipal area, Shomron Regional Council is among the largest Israeli authorities. The municipal boundaries: *North: the (former) settlements of
Ganim Ganim ( he, גַּנִּים) was an Israeli settlement in the northern West Bank under the administrative local government of the Shomron Regional Council. Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are illegal un ...
and
Kadim Kadim ( he, כַּדִּים) was an Israeli settlement on a hilltop in the northern West Bank under the administrative jurisdiction of Shomron Regional Council. History The settlement, close to Jenin, attracted secular young Israeli families se ...
, reaching to
Megiddo Junction The Megiddo Junction (, ''Tzomet Megido'') is an intersection of Highways 65 and 66 in northern Israel, at the exit from the mountain pass coming up through Wadi Ara into the Jezreel Valley. It is named for the nearby ruins of the biblical cit ...
. *West: the settlement of Tzofim, reaching to
Kfar Saba Kfar Saba ( he, כְּפַר סָבָא), officially Kefar Sava, is a city in the Sharon region, of the Central District of Israel. In 2019 it had a population of 110,456, making it the 16th-largest city in Israel. The population of Kfar Saba i ...
. *South: the settlements of
Peduel Peduel ( he, פְּדוּאֵל) is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located about 10 km from the State of Palestine, Palestinian city of Burqin, Palestine, Burqin, 25 km east of Tel Aviv and adjacent to Alei Zahav, Beit Aryeh-Ofarim ...
and
Alei Zahav Alei Zahav ( he, עֲלֵי זָהָב, ''lit.'' Golden Leaves) is an Israeli settlement organized as a community settlement located on the western edge of the northern West Bank, adjacent to the Palestinian towns of Deir Ballut and Kafr ad-D ...
. The Council is divided into geographic regions, where each region has its own characteristics:מועצה איזורית שומרון
Shomron Regional Council
*The Northern Shomron region: Hinanit, Hermesh, Tal Menashe,
Mevo Dotan Mevo Dotan ( he, מְבוֹא דּוֹתָן, , Dothan's approach) is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located in the south of the Dothan Valley east of Baqa al-Gharbiyye and adjacent to the Palestinian town of Ya'bad, it is organised a ...
, Reihan, Shaked. All the communities are secular, except for Tal Menashe. Population is around 2,000. *Central-Western Shomron:
Avnei Hefetz Avnei Hefetz ( he, אַבְנֵי חֵפֶץ, , Precious Stones) is an Israeli settlement (organised as a community settlement) located on the western edge of the northern West Bank. The settlement under the administrative municipal government of ...
, Barkan, Ma'ale Shomron, Nofim, Sal'it,
Einav Einav ( he, עֵנָב) is an Israeli settlement organized as a community settlement in the northern West Bank, located adjacent to the Palestinian village of Ramin, in constr It is located on Highway 57 between Avnei Hefetz and Shavei Shomron ...
, Etz Efraim,
Peduel Peduel ( he, פְּדוּאֵל) is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located about 10 km from the State of Palestine, Palestinian city of Burqin, Palestine, Burqin, 25 km east of Tel Aviv and adjacent to Alei Zahav, Beit Aryeh-Ofarim ...
, Tzufim, Kiryat Netafim, Revava, Shavei Shomron, Sha'arei Tikva, Yakir: mixed population (secular and religious). Most of the communities are large and well established. If you add to them the
Local Authorities Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
in Samaria ( Alfei Menashe, Elkana,
Immanuel Immanuel ( he, עִמָּנוּאֵל, 'Īmmānū'ēl, meaning, "God is with us"; also romanized: , ; and or in Koine Greek of the New Testament) is a Hebrew name that appears in the Book of Isaiah (7:14) as a sign that God will protect the H ...
,
Karnei Shomron Karnei Shomron ( he, קַרְנֵי שׁוֹמְרוֹן, lit. "Rays (of light) of Samaria") is an Israeli settlement organized as a local council established in 1977 in the West Bank, east of Kfar Saba. Karnei Shomron is located northeast of ...
,
Kedumim Kedumim ( he, קְדוּמִים, Kdumim), is an Israeli settlement organized as a local council located in the northern West Bank. Founded on Hanukkah 1975 by members of the Gush Emunim settlement movement, it later became a local council. I ...
, Oranit; and the city of
Ariel Ariel may refer to: Film and television *Ariel Award, a Mexican Academy of Film award * ''Ariel'' (film), a 1988 Finnish film by Aki Kaurismäki * ''ARIEL Visual'' and ''ARIEL Deluxe'', 1989 and 1991 anime video series based on the novel series ...
), all of which are located in this region, the Jewish population numbers about 60,000. *Mountain Communities:
Elon Moreh Elon Moreh ( he, אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה) is an Orthodox Jewish Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located northeast of the Palestinian city of Nablus, on the slopes of the Mount Kabir ridge, it falls under the jurisdiction of Shomron Regi ...
, Itamar, Har Brakha,
Yitzhar Yitzhar ( he, יִצְהָר) is an Israeli settlement located in the West Bank, south of the city of Nablus, just off Route 60 (Israel), Route 60, north of the Kfar Tapuach, Tapuach Junction. The predominantly Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jewish ...
(one block, near Nablus, population about 3,000), and farther south, Kfar Tapuach, Rehelim, and
Migdalim Migdalim ( he, מִגְדָּלִים) is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located 45 kilometres east of Tel Aviv on Trans-Samaria Highway, road 505 and adjacent to the Palestinian territories, Palestinian hamlet of Qusra, it is organised ...
, with less than 1000 residents.


Tourism

The local government and residents of Shomron opened the region to local and international tourism. Boutique wineries, organic farms, historical and biblical sites have developed into tourism attractions. The Jewish Shepherd at Kfar Tapuach, the Barkan Industrial park and hiking tails in the scenic natural reserve at attracting tourists from around the world. Israel's Minister of Tourism Yariv Lavin was quoted saying: "I strongly believe in the tourism potential of Samaria. I can tell you from personal experience that I visited Samaria many times, and it might very well be the most beautiful region in Israel".


Sister City

On September 12, 2016, the
Town of Hempstead The Town of Hempstead (also known historically as South Hempstead) is the largest of the three towns in Nassau County (alongside North Hempstead and Oyster Bay) in the U.S. state of New York. It occupies the southwestern part of the county, on t ...
in New York signed a Declaration of Cooperation with the Shomron Regional Council in the Israeli-occupied
West Bank The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
, as part of an effort to counter the
BDS movement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led movement promoting boycotts, divestments, and economic sanctions against Israel. Its objective is to pressure Israel to meet what the BDS movement describes as Israel's obligations u ...
."In anti-BDS stand, Hempstead New York signs sister city pact with settler council" '' Jerusalem Post'' http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/In-anti-BDS-stand-Hempstead-New-York-signs-sister-city-pact-with-settler-council-467880 Council Chairman
Yossi Dagan Yossi Dagan ( he, יוסי דגן) is an Israeli activist and politician who has been the head of the Shomron Regional Council since August 2015. Dagan grew up in the Israeli towns of Bnei Brak and Pardes Katz. When he was in the tenth grade, ...
, Town Supervisor Anthony Santino, Councilmen
Bruce Blakeman Bruce Arthur Blakeman (born October 2, 1955) is an American attorney and politician currently serving as the 10th County Executive of Nassau County, New York. He was elected in the 2021 election, defeating Democratic incumbent Laura Curran. He ...
, Anthony D'Esposito, and Edward Ambrosino signed the document.


Towns of Shomron

The largest settlement in the Shomron Regional Council today is Sha'arei Tikva, numbering over 5,500 residents.


List of settlements

*
Alei Zahav Alei Zahav ( he, עֲלֵי זָהָב, ''lit.'' Golden Leaves) is an Israeli settlement organized as a community settlement located on the western edge of the northern West Bank, adjacent to the Palestinian towns of Deir Ballut and Kafr ad-D ...
*
Avnei Hefetz Avnei Hefetz ( he, אַבְנֵי חֵפֶץ, , Precious Stones) is an Israeli settlement (organised as a community settlement) located on the western edge of the northern West Bank. The settlement under the administrative municipal government of ...
* Beit El * Barkan *
Bruchin Brukhin ( he, ברוכין, also Bruchin) is an Israeli settlement located in the West Bank, about 10 km from the Palestinian city of Bruqin, whose lands were confiscated in order to construct Brukhin. Over 101 Orthodox Jewish families are liv ...
*
Einav Einav ( he, עֵנָב) is an Israeli settlement organized as a community settlement in the northern West Bank, located adjacent to the Palestinian village of Ramin, in constr It is located on Highway 57 between Avnei Hefetz and Shavei Shomron ...
*
Elon Moreh Elon Moreh ( he, אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה) is an Orthodox Jewish Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located northeast of the Palestinian city of Nablus, on the slopes of the Mount Kabir ridge, it falls under the jurisdiction of Shomron Regi ...
* Etz Efraim *
Har Bracha Har Brakha ( he, הַר בְּרָכָה, ''lit.'' Mount fBlessing) is an Israeli settlement located on the southern ridge of Mount Gerizim at an elevation of above sea level, in the West Bank's Samarian mountains, near the Palestinian city o ...
* Hermesh * Hinanit * Itamar * Kfar Tapuach * Kiryat Netafim * Ma'ale Shomron *
Mevo Dotan Mevo Dotan ( he, מְבוֹא דּוֹתָן, , Dothan's approach) is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located in the south of the Dothan Valley east of Baqa al-Gharbiyye and adjacent to the Palestinian town of Ya'bad, it is organised a ...
*
Migdalim Migdalim ( he, מִגְדָּלִים) is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located 45 kilometres east of Tel Aviv on Trans-Samaria Highway, road 505 and adjacent to the Palestinian territories, Palestinian hamlet of Qusra, it is organised ...
* Nofim *
Peduel Peduel ( he, פְּדוּאֵל) is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located about 10 km from the State of Palestine, Palestinian city of Burqin, Palestine, Burqin, 25 km east of Tel Aviv and adjacent to Alei Zahav, Beit Aryeh-Ofarim ...
* Rehelim * Reihan * Revava * Sal'it * Sha'arei Tikva * Shaked * Shavei Shomron * Tel Menashe * Tzofim * Yakir *
Yitzhar Yitzhar ( he, יִצְהָר) is an Israeli settlement located in the West Bank, south of the city of Nablus, just off Route 60 (Israel), Route 60, north of the Kfar Tapuach, Tapuach Junction. The predominantly Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jewish ...


Razed settlements

During the implementation of
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan The Israeli disengagement from Gaza ( he, תוכנית ההתנתקות, ') was the unilateral dismantling in 2005 of the 21 Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip and the evacuation of Israeli settlers and army from inside the Gaza Strip. Th ...
of August/September 2005, the residents of four of the Shomron Regional Council's settlements were evicted, their residential buildings destroyed, and land abandoned to the Palestinians, including territory outlined in the Oslo Accords as Area 'C' in full
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
i control. In northern Shomron: *
Ganim Ganim ( he, גַּנִּים) was an Israeli settlement in the northern West Bank under the administrative local government of the Shomron Regional Council. Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are illegal un ...
*
Homesh Homesh ( he, חֹמֶשׁ, חומש) was an Israeli settlement in the West Bank along Route 60, illegally built over private Palestinian land. The settlement was under the administrative jurisdiction of the Shomron Regional Council. In 2005, t ...
*
Kadim Kadim ( he, כַּדִּים) was an Israeli settlement on a hilltop in the northern West Bank under the administrative jurisdiction of Shomron Regional Council. History The settlement, close to Jenin, attracted secular young Israeli families se ...
*
Sa-Nur Sa-Nur ( he, שָׂא נוּר, ''lit.'' Flame Carrier) was an Israeli settlement in the northern West Bank under the administrative jurisdiction of Shomron Regional Council until 2005. Prior to its demolition, Sa-Nur was home to 43 families.


References


External links


Shomron Regional Council website
{{Coord, 32, 14, N, 35, 20, E, display=title Israeli regional councils in the West Bank