In a decisive move defying terror and international pressure, Israel’s government has greenlit a bold new initiative to reshape the future of Samaria, investing 30 million shekels ($8.3 million) into the launch of 18 new settlement projects—including 13 planned cities and 5 industrial zones. The funding, announced Thursday by Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, signals the formal kickoff of the “Samaria to a Million” master plan, a visionary proposal championed by Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan.

The groundbreaking program aims to radically transform the demographic and strategic landscape of Judea and Samaria, multiplying the Jewish population from 140,000 to over one million by the year 2050. This demographic shift is being touted by its advocates as the ultimate Zionist response to terrorism, international delegitimization, and the ongoing threat posed by Iran-backed Palestinian factions.

Our Answer to Terrorism: Growth, Sovereignty, and Jewish Resilience

Speaking from the symbolic site of a recent deadly terrorist attack that claimed the life of pregnant Israeli woman Tzeela Gez, Goldknopf and Dagan delivered a unified message of unapologetic determination.

“In the face of those seeking our destruction, the clear and unequivocal answer is to strengthen the settlement and solidify our hold on the Land of Israel in general - and in Judea and Samaria in particular,” Goldknopf declared. “Planning and expanding the communities serves as a security and economic anchor for the region and sends a firm and unmistakable message: We are here to stay—and to grow.”

Dagan, a long-time champion of strategic expansion, echoed this sentiment with patriotic fervor:

“Terror seeks to uproot us—we respond with growth. We will establish cities, build industrial zones and make Samaria flourish.”

Rebuilding History, Cementing Sovereignty

The initial stage of the initiative includes the planning of 13 brand-new cities and five industrial zones, laying the groundwork for a sweeping expansion of infrastructure, housing, and economic development across Samaria.

Notably, the plan seeks to reverse the 2005 Disengagement policy by rebuilding the evacuated Jewish towns of Sa-Nur, Ganim, Kadim, and Homesh, signaling a potential turning point in the Israeli approach to strategic depth and historical justice.

Among the most symbolic additions will be the establishment of a new outpost on Mount Ebal, home to the ancient Altar of Joshua—a site of immense biblical and national importance. This move underscores the plan’s deeper ideological component: fusing modern statecraft with historical and religious reclamation.

National Unity Behind the Vision

The project enjoys the strong backing of key coalition figures, including Finance Minister and Defense Ministry civilian affairs czar Bezalel Smotrich, and Religious Zionism MK Zvi Sukkot, who chairs the Knesset Subcommittee for Judea and Samaria.

Smotrich’s parallel initiative—to legalize 22 Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, nine of them entirely new—aligns seamlessly with the “Samaria to a Million” blueprint. Channel 14 reports this would also include the formal recognition of Homesh, Sa-Nur, and the Mount Ebal outpost.

The Numbers That Matter

• 30 million shekels allocated for the planning phase

• 180,000 housing units planned in Samaria alone

• Over 1 million Jews projected to live in Samaria by 2050

• 529,704 Jews already reside in Judea and Samaria (as of Jan. 2025)

• 70% of Israelis support full sovereignty over Judea and Samaria

• 58% of Israeli Jews believe settlements directly enhance national security

Zionism Revitalized: A Strategic and Spiritual Imperative

Supporters of the plan argue it will alleviate Israel’s growing housing crisis, stimulate economic development, and forge a buffer of stability between the Jewish heartland and hostile neighbors. More than just bricks and mortar, they see it as the modern embodiment of Zionist pioneering, reaffirming the Jewish people’s inalienable rights to their ancestral homeland.

In an era of uncertainty and rising antisemitism worldwide, Israel is choosing to build. And in Samaria, that construction is not just concrete—it is courage, vision, and the unshakable belief that the Jewish people are home.