Following the announcement of a ceasefire with Iran, Minister of Tourism and Housing Haim Katz arrived Tuesday for a security assessment and professional work meeting in Samaria, renewing calls for Israeli sovereignty over the biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria.
Minister Katz emphasized the critical importance of developing tourism in the region while issuing a clear call to advance sovereignty over these historic territories. “We just concluded a working meeting in Samaria. We are establishing the Land of the Bible – and we will bring thousands of tourists here. We heard the plans and saw the vision,” Katz declared during his visit.
The minister connected his current push to previous efforts within the Likud party, stating: “This takes me back six years – to the decision we made in the Likud Central Committee on applying sovereignty. Today, after thankfully eliminating the Iranian threat and with the hostages soon to return from Gaza, the time has come to implement sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. We will do our utmost – and when we act, everyone will see that we will succeed.”
The push for Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria has deep roots within Israeli politics, particularly within the Likud party. Six years ago, the Likud Central Committee made a historic decision supporting the application of sovereignty to these regions, marking the first major political forum to formally endorse such a move. This decision has served as a foundation for ongoing sovereignty advocacy.
The Israeli government has taken various steps over the years to strengthen its presence and administrative control in Judea and Samaria, including the expansion of settlements, infrastructure development, and the establishment of regional councils. These moves reflect a broader strategy of creating facts on the ground that support eventual sovereignty claims.
The regions of Judea and Samaria hold profound biblical significance as the heartland of ancient Israel. These territories are deeply woven into the fabric of Jewish history and religious identity, representing the cradle of Jewish civilization.
Judea derives its name from the biblical tribe of Judah and encompasses the southern portion of the biblical Land of Israel. This region witnessed many of the most significant events in Jewish history, from the reigns of Kings David and Solomon to the prophetic missions that shaped Jewish faith and law.
Samaria, the northern region, served as the capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel and holds equally sacred status in Jewish tradition. The area encompasses numerous biblical sites where the patriarchs and matriarchs walked and where pivotal moments in Jewish history unfolded.
Biblical verses underscore the eternal connection between the Jewish people and these lands:
“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills” (Deuteronomy 8:7)
“And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Genesis 17:8)
“Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee” (Genesis 13:17)
These sacred texts establish the divine promise of the land to the Jewish people, providing the spiritual foundation for modern sovereignty claims.
Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan strongly endorsed Minister Katz’s sovereignty call, praising his leadership role in advancing this cause. “You, more than anyone, as chairman of the Likud Central Committee, are behind the first historic decision in a central forum to apply sovereignty. You are a true and leading partner in this struggle,” Dagan told Minister Katz.
Dagan emphasized the strategic importance of sovereignty in the current security environment: “The State of Israel is fighting on seven fronts – and with G-d’s help, we are standing strong and winning. After Iran – all eyes are on Judea and Samaria. I call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and all ministers: Be like Haim Katz! Let us work together to bring sovereignty – not only because this is our land and for the residents, but because today everyone understands – sovereignty in Judea and Samaria is Israel’s defensive shield.”
The timing of Minister Katz’s sovereignty call, following the Iran ceasefire, reflects a strategic assessment that Israel’s improved security position creates an opportunity to advance sovereignty. With the Iranian threat temporarily neutralized and progress expected on the hostage situation in Gaza, sovereignty advocates argue that Israel can now focus on securing its eastern flank through formal annexation of Judea and Samaria.
The regional council leadership frames sovereignty not merely as a political aspiration but as a defensive necessity. In their view, formal Israeli sovereignty over these territories would create a “defensive shield” that strengthens Israel’s strategic position while acknowledging the historical and biblical connection to the land.
Minister Katz’s emphasis on tourism development represents a practical approach to sovereignty implementation. By establishing Judea and Samaria as major tourism destinations – “the Land of the Bible” – Israel can create economic facts on the ground while showcasing the region’s biblical significance to international visitors.
This tourism-focused strategy aims to bring “thousands of tourists” to the region, creating economic incentives for sovereignty while educating visitors about the area’s profound biblical heritage. The approach combines practical economic development with the assertion of historical and religious claims to the territory.
Opponents to Israel extending sovereignty to the Biblical heartland claim this will present an obstacle to the proposed “two-state solution,” which would create an unprecedented militarized Palestinian state within Israel that has been ethnically cleansed of Jews, with its capital in an exclusively Palestinian Jerusalem. The result would place all of Israel within easy range of Palestinian rockets and terrorist attacks. This plan is patterned after the creation of Gaza in 2005, which resulted in untold thousands of missiles being fired at Israel, and the Oct. 7 invasion of and massacre carried out by Hamas.
As Israel continues to navigate complex regional challenges, the sovereignty movement in Judea and Samaria represents both a return to biblical roots and a strategic response to contemporary security needs. With strong support from regional leadership and renewed political momentum following recent military successes, advocates believe the time is ripe for implementing formal sovereignty over these biblically significant territories.
The call from Minister Katz and the endorsement from regional leaders signal that sovereignty over Judea and Samaria remains a priority for those who view these lands as the biblical and historical heart of the Jewish nation.
