What is Sovereignty?

What is the definition of sovereignty? What is the meaning and the ramifications of sovereignty? What is the source of sovereignty over the Land in general and over Judea and Samaria in particular? The Sovereignty Movement responds.

The definition: Sovereignty is the exclusive authority of the state or a people over a specific territory.

Meaning: Since it is exclusive to a specific people or state, the meaning of sovereignty is the independent control of the territory, thus the acceptance of full responsibility for what transpires within that territory and the implementation of the state's or the people's full rights over the territory.

Implications: Sovereignty of a state requires full responsibility of various sorts, toward the population as well as toward the territory. These things are expressed by maintaining security, enforcement of law and order, ensuring economic stability, protecting environmental quality, protecting civil rights and human rights, living conditions and protecting nature as well as a great number of other aspects. As stated in the term's definition, sovereignty constitutes exclusive authority of one people and one state. It is not possible to divide sovereignty over one territory between two or more nations for the simple reason that each nation has its own objectives, its own interests, its own way of life and ideology and it is from all of these things that the way of life in a sovereign territory is derived, in accordance with the determination of the sovereign nation. Because of this, the implementation and recognition of sovereignty prevents and thwarts the hopes for a parallel sovereignty alongside another nation.

 Regarding the State of Israel: The People of Israel's sovereignty over the Land of Israel stems from the Biblical promise. It was the power of this promise that led the nations of the world to recognize the right of the People of Israel to sovereignty over its Land and to determine this right in international law.

Regarding Judea and Samaria: Until now, the successive governments of Israel have refrained from resolving to apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. As a result, the legal fabric of the area has been damaged, meaning, Israeli law is not fully applied  and the Jewish residents live under military rule and a patchwork of regulations based on a combination of Ottoman law, British law, international law and Israeli law.

Moreover, in the absence of Israeli sovereignty, the Arab hope to establish another Arab state in these areas remains extant. Israeli hesitancy in the matter of sovereignty, in contrast to Arab resoluteness, is seen by the world as an Israeli admission that indeed, Israel has no right over the territory. This contradicts international law and is against the historic, Biblical right recognized by both the Western world and the Arab world.

The continued existence of the hope for an Arab state (in Judea and Samaria is only the first step) provides a tailwind for terror that seeks to push Israel off of its land and establish an Arab state on its ruins. Full Israeli sovereignty will also serve as a basis for the enforcement of Israeli laws by the relevant security and enforcement agencies, and will provide an unequivocal statement as to who is the exclusive sovereign in the territory.

As stated in the paragraph on "meaning", the meaning does not only relate to rights, but also to responsibilities. As such, sovereign Israel must ensure the civil welfare of the residents in the territory (and their legal status is a separate issue). In providing a comfortable life to the citizens, another motive that greases the wheels of terror will be removed. And when it becomes clear in a practical way that Israeli sovereignty benefits the people living in the territory, objections to Israeli sovereignty will be removed.  

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ריבונות - כתב עת מדיני

Exceptionally High Support Among the Haredi Public for Sovereignty and Jewish Settlement in Gaza and Lebanon

07-06-2026

Ahead of the Sovereignty Movement conference new data reveals broad support within the Haredi public for applying sovereignty and promoting Jewish settlement. “The Haredi public sent a clear and unequivocal message to its leadership.”

ריבונות - כתב עת מדיני

New Poll Finds Broad Support Among Israelis for Encouraging Arab Emigration from the Gaza Strip

07-06-2026

Ahead of the Sovereignty Youth Movement conference a new poll reveals that 73% of the Jewish public supports encouraging Arab emigration. “The Israeli public wants to see initiative and decisive action.”

ריבונות - כתב עת מדיני

Significant Majority in the National Camp Supports Applying Sovereignty in Judea and Samaria

06-06-2026

Ahead of the Sovereignty Movement conference, new poll data reveals that 87% of voters for Likud, Religious Zionism, and Otzma Yehudit — as well as 90% of Shas voters — support either full or gradual Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.

ריבונות - כתב עת מדיני

The Generation of Victory Applies Sovereignty:

04-06-2026

Special Conference to Be Held in Jerusalem to Advance Sovereignty over Judea and Samaria - Live Broadcast

ריבונות - כתב עת מדיני

The Sovereignty Movement to Prime Minister Netanyahu: ‘The Time Has Come for a Change of Direction in Judea and Samaria

28-05-2026

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Sovereignty Movement calls for advancing Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria before the upcoming elections. “The settlement revolution must not be stopped halfway.”

ריבונות - כתב עת מדיני

Building the Next Generation of Sovereignty Leadership

18-05-2026

Especially now, on the eve of elections, it is crucial that the voice of the younger generation be heard clearly and strongly.

ריבונות - כתב עת מדיני

​Don’t Wait for a Million

Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar
15-05-2026

The steps taken at the founding of the State of Israel and the events of the Six-Day War have etched into us a profound principle that speaks directly to these very days: this is how sovereignty is achieved.

ריבונות - כתב עת מדיני

“Applying Israeli Law in Judea and Samaria Is the Final Victory Over the Oslo Accords”

14-05-2026

The co-chairwomen of the Sovereignty Movement called on the Israeli government to end the “temporary situation” in Judea and Samaria and apply full sovereignty. According to them, the move would lead to the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority and provide certainty for entrepreneurs and residents: “Without sovereignty, the world sees us as occupiers.”

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News Flashes
A survey reveals a clear majority in Israel against a Palestinian state
 
A new survey shows overwhelming opposition among the Israeli public to the establishment of a Palestinian state, even in exchange for normalization with Saudi Arabia. Eighty percent of the Jewish public opposes a Palestinian state.

Click here for the full article
 
 

 

19/11/2025 - 00:04
Cities in Kentucky and New Mexico officially support Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria
 
Two major cities in the state of Kentucky and the capital city of New Mexico in the United States adopted an official resolution expressing support for Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.
 
City representatives formally presented the documents to Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, who told them: “You are fighting with us to bring sovereignty. You know what justice is.”
19/11/2025 - 00:03
The Sovereignty Movement prepares a "awakening vigil" against the American path to a Palestinian state
The Sovereignty Movement is calling on members and supporters to join a vigil that will take place outside the cabinet meeting, in protest of the Trump plan to create a political pathway that would ultimately lead to a Palestinian state. In a letter sent by the movement’s leaders, several critical and worrying consequences involved in Israeli consent to this dangerous move are detailed.

Click here for the full article
 

 

18/11/2025 - 08:12
MK Maoz: Cut off the Arab hope by applying sovereignty
MK Avi Maoz told Channel 7, in response to the American president’s initiative for a political move at the UN: “If we want to provide a decisive response, it is to cut off the Arab hopes. This is not done through declarations or primary-election tweets, but through action — and the only action is applying sovereignty.”


Click here for the full article
 

 

17/11/2025 - 22:12
The Sovereignty Movement to the Prime Minister: Your role is to protect the dignity of the people of Israel, even when facing a friendly American president
J.D. Vance feels “offended” and it’s really not clear about what or why. The ones who are truly offended are actually us, in light of the blunt and threatening tone of the American president toward the government of Israel, toward the Israeli parliament, toward the people of Israel, toward the Jewish people as a whole, when he tells us that if Israel applies sovereignty to the heart of our land it will lose all American support.

The ear hears his words and the heart contracts. Is this the friendly, sympathetic and supportive president? He is the one who speaks about us with such contempt?

For the full response from the Sovereignty Movement, click here
23/10/2025 - 23:40
Yesha Council congratulates the MKs who voted in favor of sovereignty
In response to the preliminary vote in which MK Maoz’s bill to apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria was approved, the Yesha Council stated: “The Knesset has spoken. It’s sovereignty time! We congratulate MK Avi Maoz, who led the bill, the Religious Zionism party, and the Otzma Yehudit party for their support. We also wish to congratulate MK Yuli Edelstein, who demonstrated his commitment to Judea and Samaria. The residents of Judea and Samaria expect Likud MKs to join this move and advance the sovereignty plan in accordance with the spirit of the party.”
22/10/2025 - 21:48
The Sovereignty Movement congratulates those who voted for sovereignty and hopes for continued progress
In response to the preliminary vote in which MK Avi Maoz’s sovereignty bill for Judea and Samaria passed, the Sovereignty Movement published a statement of support:
 
“Congratulations to MK Avi Maoz and to the members of Knesset who voted in favor of applying sovereignty. This was a preliminary vote, and we hope that in the upcoming votes all supportive MKs will join, and that there will be no political games over the Land of Israel.”
22/10/2025 - 21:47
The sovereignty law for Ma’ale Adumim passed its preliminary reading in the Knesset
In a Knesset plenum vote, the bill submitted by MK Avigdor Liberman to apply Israeli sovereignty to Ma’ale Adumim was approved by a majority of 32 supporters versus nine opponents.
22/10/2025 - 21:44
The sovereignty law passed its preliminary reading in the Knesset
The bill to apply sovereignty to areas of Judea and Samaria, submitted by MK Avi Maoz, passed with a majority of 25 MKs in favor versus 24 opposed.
 
Among those who voted in favor: MKs Yuli Edelstein, Yisrael Eichler, Yitzhak Goldknopf, Yaakov Tesler, and others from the Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit parties.
 

 

22/10/2025 - 21:43
Elkin: If We Don’t Scare Ourselves Over Sovereignty, We’ll Find Solutions
Minister Zeev Elkin to Sovereignty: “If we only focus on scaring ourselves, we won’t find solutions. If we internalize that the sovereignty move is necessary, we’ll also find the solutions — some of which will come only later down the road.”

 

Click here for the full interview

 
17/10/2025 - 00:26
articles
All Articles >
Rabbi Eliezer Melamed
Head of Har Bracha Yeshiva
Eran Bar Tal
Economist and journalist
Motti Karpel
Columnist and philosopher
Ze'ev Ben yosef
Dror Eydar
writer and art researcher
Hagay Huberman
Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar
Yehudit Katsover
Aenon Segal
Journalist and publicist
David P. Goldman
Economist and analyst. Author of the book How Civilizations Die
Ran Ishay
Imanuel Shilo
Shimon Cohen
Journalist and publicist
Karni Eldad
Journalist, publicist and artist
Daniel Pipes
president of the Middle East Forum
Yohay Damari
The Head of South Hevron Hills
Haiim Kaz
Ron Braeiman
Dr. Mordechai Kedar
​Chaya Yahalom
one of the leaders of the "Sovereignty" youth movement

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