The Judea and Samaria settlement umbrella group, the Yesha Council, has received an invitation and will participate in US President-elect Donald Trump's swearing-in ceremony next Monday in Washington. The delegation comprises Yesha Council Chairman and Binyamin Regional Council Head Israel Ganz, Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan, Oranit Council Head Or Piron-Zomer, and Yesha Council CEO Omer Rahamim.
The group will attend as official guests at the inauguration ceremony and spearhead various side events in Washington before and after the main event. Their agenda includes meetings with incoming administration officials and leaders from both Jewish and evangelical communities.
According to Yesha Council sources, the delegation plans to focus on relationship building rather than presenting specific demands or proposals, including any requests regarding sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. "Our objective is to strengthen existing connections and forge new ones. Washington's attention is elsewhere at present. Trump is focused on Greenland sovereignty matters, not Israel's concerns in Judea and Samaria. Timing is crucial. We must proceed strategically and appropriately," a council official explained.
The Yesha Council and other regional authorities in Judea and Samaria have devoted considerable resources to cultivating relationships with Republican Party leadership in recent years. These efforts have yielded notable results, including many senior party members' current opposition to the concept of a Palestinian state. Moreover, official terminology has shifted from "West Bank" to "Judea and Samaria." These changes stem from years of persistent engagement between Israel Ganz and Yossi Dagan with senior Trump party officials, including organized tours of the Benjamin and Samaria regions. A similar delegation attended Trump's 2017 inauguration.
In a statement to Israel Hayom, Yesha Council Chairman Israel Ganz said, "We represent Judea and Samaria residents in standing with our allies and President-elect Trump at this historic moment. The administration's invitation reflects our shared Biblical values with the US. We face a common moral challenge against global threats, with Judea and Samaria settlements serving as the frontline defense for Israel, America, and the free world. We envision achieving transformative progress that will ensure global stability for generations, and we support Trump's leadership in this endeavor. Our ongoing dialogue with senior administration officials continues to advance these goals."
Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan emphasized, "Our delegation brings the blessing of the communities in Judea and Samaria to the new administration. Years of relationship-building with our newly elected American friends have created this pivotal opportunity for Israel, particularly its government, to achieve significant advances in strengthening our presence in the Land of Israel. Our unified approach underscores the importance of maintaining strong ties with the incoming American administration and bolstering support for the communities in Judea and Samaria, both internationally and among US Jewish communities."
