Ministers and Knesset members from the Likud held a special conference in the Knesset to promote full sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. Deputy Prime Minister Minister Levin: "We are once again at a historic opportunity that must not be missed to apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria."
A special conference was held today (Monday 7.21) in the Knesset, led by Likud members of Knesset, aimed at advancing the issue of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. The conference was attended by ministers, the Speaker of the Knesset, MKs, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, and other public figures. It was held in cooperation with the Sovereignty Movement and the movements "Israel is Forever" and others.
Among the attending ministers were Yariv Levin, Shlomo Karhi, Eli Cohen, Nir Barkat, and Amichai Chikli. The conference was initiated by MKs Keti Shitrit, Dan Illouz, Avichai Boaron, Ariel Kallner, Moshe Passal. Mk's that also attended: Michael Malkieli, Tsega Melaku, Ohad Tal, Osher Shekalim, Moshe Saada, Nissim Vaturi, Zvi Sukkot, and leaders of the Sovereignty Movement Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana opened the conference and stressed the importance of advancing sovereignty: "Exactly a year ago this week, the Knesset passed a declaration by a majority of 68 MKs stating its opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan. This was not only a principled and up-to-date statement by the legislature, but also a reflection of reality. The occupation didn’t begin in 1967 — it ended. The Jewish people are not, and cannot be, occupiers in a land called Judea for 3,000 years. We can be exiled from it, but thank God, we have returned home."
"Without Judea and Samaria, there is no secure Jerusalem, no stable center for the State of Israel. Our rights to Tel Aviv, Netanya, Jerusalem, and Haifa all rest on our rights in Judea and Samaria. It is Israel's defense line. Withdrawal from there invites the bloody vision of our enemies. We absolutely must not repeat this mistake. Sovereignty is our present-day 'Iron Wall.' Just as Israel applied sovereignty to the Golan Heights despite protests, so too must we apply sovereignty to Judea and Samaria, with God's help."
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin said: "We were very close to a major first step toward sovereignty. All the groundwork was done — maps, government infrastructure drafts — everything is ready. Unfortunately, things happened, and the plan was halted. Today, we are once again at a historic opportunity that must not be missed: to apply sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria — over every community and all the land that belongs to us. Sovereignty will ensure that from now on, there will be no difference between Yitzhar and Ramat HaSharon, between southern Mount Hebron and Tel Aviv. Israel will be one state with full sovereignty. This must happen and must be on the agenda. Swift action is required; we must not give up."
Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman also participated, saying: "My biggest regret is that during my term we did not manage to start the sovereignty process. On campuses they chant 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' — I say 'From the river to the sea, Israel will be free.' The decision to apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria is Israel's alone. During my four years as a diplomat, I saw many people in the U.S. who supported this. But Israel must make the decision and deal with the consequences. I worked on it for months during my term. This is not a whim or land grab — it benefits everyone. If Israel is sovereign there, it can fight terrorism more effectively."
Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen stated: "Between the sea and the Jordan there will be only one state — the State of Israel, the state of the Jewish people. Sovereignty in Judea and Samaria stems primarily from our historical right — it is our ancestral land. Secondly, it's a security necessity. Wherever we weren’t present, terror nests developed. In this term, we are determined and also have a historic opportunity to apply sovereignty. I’m willing to forgo peace with Saudi Arabia, to forgo normalization — sovereignty comes first. We made peace with Morocco, the UAE, and Bahrain without a Palestinian state. We were supposed to advance peace with Saudi Arabia in early 2024 — also without a Palestinian state. But if we must choose — sovereignty comes first."
Minister Amichai Chikli remarked: "We’re now in the 'Three Weeks' — and also marking 20 years since the destruction of Gush Katif. That destruction led directly to the collapse of the Gaza envelope. It can be summarized in one sentence: We betrayed the people of Israel, and the land of Israel did not forgive. That’s the essence. We thought abandoning those communities would bring quiet, and instead we reaped disaster."
MK Keti Shitrit, a key organizer of the conference, added: "Applying sovereignty is a crucial opportunity to restore honor to the pioneers who, with brave decisions, created something from nothing. Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley are integral parts of our ancestral homeland. There is no more moral act than applying Israeli law to these areas. It is our right — without fear or hesitation. It is our duty to those who fell for the land. We must call clearly: Sovereignty now."
MK Dan Illouz, a leader of the Sovereignty Lobby in the Knesset, said: "Today we are here to decide and declare clearly — the Land of Israel is ours forever. Therefore, we demand immediate sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. As long as we don’t apply sovereignty, we leave the door open for international pressure. Sovereignty isn’t just a political move — it’s a statement that this land is ours. It must happen now. Sovereignty is the key to victory — we can’t win in Gaza while leaving Judea and Samaria uncertain."
MK Moshe Passal noted: "Since October 7, one word keeps coming up — 'conception.' But it wasn’t just a word; it was an illusion — that we could coexist with a Palestinian state. We too were part of that illusion. We allowed this idea to float quietly. Awakening from that illusion doesn’t mean more tanks or missiles — it means applying sovereignty to all of Judea, Samaria, and our homeland. After 20 years of right-wing rule, it’s time to erase the Oslo Accords and implement sovereignty."
MK Avichai Boaron said: "There are two worlds in Judea and Samaria — one for Jews and one for Arabs. When we were evacuated from Amona, we insisted on building deeper in the territory. That’s our message — we’re staying. There were 6,000 people in the Golan Heights when sovereignty was applied — today there are 529,000 in Judea and Samaria living under Jordanian law. That’s not normal. We must apply Israeli law. Only sovereignty will separate us from the Palestinian Authority’s grip. We must have sovereignty. The State of Israel must have sovereignty. We owe this to our children."
MK Ariel Kallner declared: "We returned home — to a home that was stolen from us. Today it's already a consensus — land division failed. The people of Israel are rising like lions and will win. Some are trying to obscure the connection between Oslo, the disengagement, and October 7. But post-October 7, we must not miss this moment. Sovereignty is the ultimate victory, our guarantee of existence, the fulfillment of the prophets' vision. The Jewish people are the rightful owners. Before any agreement with Saudi Arabia or elsewhere, this is a rare opportunity that must be seized — to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. That should be our top priority and the materialization of our right to our land. It's within our reach."
Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen emphasized the security perspective: "Jerusalem cannot be defended without the surrounding Jewish communities and without control of the Jordan Valley. The valley is the only buffer protecting Tel Aviv. Communities like Naaleh, Peduel, and Alfei Menashe are essential for the coastal plain’s existence and for major traffic routes like Highway 6. Ben Gurion Airport cannot function without this. Without southern Hebron control, we lose assets in Be’er Sheva and Arad. Sovereignty is essential for all of this. That’s the message to all of Israel."
Omer Rahamim, CEO of the Yesha Council, said: "Judea and Samaria are the only front among the seven active conflict fronts that hasn’t undergone a strategic shift since October 7. The only way to achieve decisive victory here is through sovereignty. We are at a critical moment to determine whether Israel is ready to apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. Now is the 'money time.' I commend Speaker Amir Ohana, who announced the Knesset will pass a resolution this week recognizing Judea and Samaria as part of the State of Israel and calling on the government to apply sovereignty."
Eliyahu Libman, former head of the Kiryat Arba Council, added regarding Gaza: "When we speak of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, we must stop calling Gaza by its name — we must call it 'the inheritance of the Tribe of Judah.' The first step after Simchat Torah should be applying sovereignty. This is the ABC of saving lives. The question is not if there will be massacres by Arabs from Judea and Samaria against Jews — they’ve already decided. The enemy has not abandoned its desire to destroy us. The responsibility is ours to prevent them from doing so."
"The conference was hosted by Yotam Zimri. At the end of the event, a panel was held, moderated by Ido Tauber, with the participation of former Israeli Ambassador to Italy Dror Eydar, CEO of the Yesha Council Omer Rahamim, Head of the Oranit Council Or Piron-Zomer, Chair of Likud Women Aviva Hazan, Chair of Israel Is Forever Attorney Nili Naouri, and former Head of the Kiryat Arba Council Eliyahu Libman. The children's choir of the Nahariya Municipality moved the hundreds of attendees with their touching and uplifting singing."
Sovereignty Movement co-chairs Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar concluded: "The time for sovereignty has come! We thank the Knesset members for advancing this important conference and committee. We call on the Israeli government to move from words to actions — and immediately apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea, Samaria, the Jordan Valley and Gaza. It’s time to correct the historical injustice and realize our right to the heart of our promised land. The people demand sovereignty — and their elected leaders must fulfill this Zionist mandate with courage and determination. This is the key to a safe and prosperous future. The real answer to October 7 and to our enemies' hopes is to uproot those hopes — and apply sovereignty immediately."