Legal Affairs

By Pesach Benson • November 10, 2025

Jerusalem, 10 November, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Defense Forces’ Central Command approved jurisdictional boundaries for 13 Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley on Monday, marking a major step toward their official recognition and development.

Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth signed the order establishing the legal perimeters — known as “jurisdiction zones” — that determine each community’s municipal area. The move paves the way for future infrastructure planning, construction, and local governance. The Interior Ministry is expected to issue the final “settlement symbols,” completing the legalization process under Israeli law.

The decision applies to six communities in the Binyamin region — Achiya, Harasha, Migron, Nofei Prat, Adi Ad, and Shvut Rachel — as well as Sa-Nur, Havot Yair, Tal Menashe, and Maoz Tzvi in Samaria, and Givonit, Ir Hatmarim, and Gadi in the Jordan Valley. Some are newly built, while others are being retroactively formalized after years of informal status.

Sa-Nur, located in northern Samaria, was one of the communities evacuated during Israel’s 2005 disengagement plan. It was approved for reestablishment earlier this year, although residents have not yet returned.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who holds additional responsibilities for civilian affairs in Judea and Samaria, hailed the development as “a milestone in strengthening Jewish presence and ensuring sustainable growth.”

“This is Zionism in practice — national responsibility and historic justice for a generation rebuilding its homeland,” Smotrich said.

Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan welcomed the move as “a long-overdue correction” that will help restore Jewish life in northern Samaria. “Renewing these communities strengthens both local security and national resilience,” he added.

The Oslo Accords divided Judea and Samaria into three administrative areas. Area A, mostly Palestinian cities, is fully governed by the Palestinian Authority (PA) in both administration and security. In Area B, which includes smaller Palestinian towns, the PA handles civil administration while Israel controls security. Area C, encompassing Israeli communities, military sites, and nature reserves, is under full Israeli administrative and security control.

All 13 communities listed in Bluth’s order are located in Area C.