“We are beginning a historic step,” Dagan said. “The trucks are making the journey again, this time back home.”
By United with Israel Staff
More than two decades after its evacuation, the northern Samaria community of Sa-Nur is being reestablished, as families returned to the site on Sunday in what participants described as a historic moment.
Sixteen families moved into newly placed caravans, arriving with trucks carrying their belongings in a symbolic reversal of the 2005 disengagement, when residents were removed from the community.
Among those returning is Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, who was evacuated from Sa-Nur as a young man and has since worked toward rebuilding communities in the region. “We are beginning a historic step,” Dagan said. “The trucks are making the journey again, this time back home. This is just the beginning.”
Residents described a strong sense of emotion as they arrived. “Our hearts are filled with joy,” one of the first settlers said.
Sa-Nur was evacuated in September 2005 as part of Israel’s disengagement plan, during which its residents were removed and the community dismantled by IDF forces.
At the time, dozens of families lived in the village, which had developed into a small but established community in northern Samaria. Its demolition, along with that of nearby Homesh, marked a key phase of the disengagement, leaving only limited remnants of the original site.
In May 2025, Israel’s Security Cabinet approved plans to reestablish Sa-Nur, alongside Homesh and additional communities, in effort to renew and expand Israeli presence in the area.
Israeli officials underscored the broader significance of the move. Defense Minister Israel Katz said that efforts to formalize dozens of communities in Judea and Samaria “strengthen the Jewish presence” in the region.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has previously described the return to Sa-Nur as “a historic correction,” calling it “Zionism at its best”
The reestablishment of Sa-Nur marks a significant development in northern Samaria, with additional families expected to join in the coming months as the community continues to grow.
Do You Love Israel? Make a Donation - Show Your Support!
Donate to vital charities that help protect Israeli citizens and inspire millions around the world to support Israel too!
Now more than ever, Israel needs your help to fight and win the war -- including on the battlefield of public opinion.
Antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and boycotts are out of control. Israel's enemies are inciting terror and violence against innocent Israelis and Jews around the world. Help us fight back!