A Passover toast ceremony for settlement leaders in Samaria took place in the community of Nofim, attended by approximately 700 leaders from communities across the regional council. Organized by the Communities Division and Community Center of the Samaria Regional Council, the event featured a special presentation where Yossi Dagan, head of the regional council, and Rabbi Aharon Cohen, rabbi of Yakir settlement and the Kana bloc, honored Larry Huch with a certificate of appreciation and "Trump Victory Wine" from the Har Bracha Winery.
With @IsraelMFA delegation, we met the head of the Shomron Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, and his devoted team.
Standing at the "Balcony of Israel", an outlook where you see how small our country is, you can better appreciate the security challenges Israel faces each and every… pic.twitter.com/APxkbcGzZT— Amb. Yacov Livne
(@YacovLivne) April 2, 2025
Huch, recognized as one of the ten most influential Evangelical leaders in the United States and a close confidant of President Donald Trump, was acknowledged for his steadfast support of the settlements and his partnership with Dagan in advocating for Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.
The relationship between Huch and the Samaria leadership has deep roots. During his visit to the region about a year ago, Huch was visibly moved to tears at Joseph's Lookout on Mount Gerizim when Dagan read from the Bible the verse, "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse" – part of God's promise to Abraham. Standing above Joseph's Tomb, Huch overlooked the area where, according to biblical accounts, Abraham first entered the land of Israel and received divine assurance of inheriting the territory.
"My time here is one of the pinnacle moments of my life," Huch had remarked emotionally. "I bring every Christian I can here, to stand in the place where God said, 'I will bless those who bless you' – the location for all blessings."
Returning to Samaria this week as Dagan's guest, Huch participated in the Passover toast ceremony and shared significant revelations about his interactions with Trump regarding Israeli sovereignty.
"I've been to Israel 49 times, but this visit moves me especially," Huch stated with emotion. "Five years ago, when the US president was considering a peace plan, I told him, 'Don't give up an inch of Judea and Samaria' and suggested recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Two days later, Trump announced it."
Huch highlighted a recent official declaration presented to President Trump by thousands of Evangelical leaders that demanded Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. This declaration was presented and approved at the main conference of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) organization, the central body representing Evangelical media outlets in the United States, coordinated between NRB President Troy Miller and Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan.
"3,000 church leaders called on the president to stop using the term 'West Bank.' This is Judea and Samaria, and sovereignty over it belongs to the people of Israel. We will support you forever," Huch emphasized.
In perhaps the most noteworthy moment of his address, Huch disclosed details of a personal conversation with Trump regarding sovereignty, "I sat with the president and told him, 'Mr. President, we need to recognize Israel's sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. This is not in the hands of any politician, but of the people of Israel and God.' Trump replied to me, 'You can tell the people of Israel that I stand with them.'"
Yossi Dagan, speaking at the event following his return from high-level meetings in Washington, noted, "I returned from a round of meetings with senior officials in the Trump administration, the Senate, and Congress – I've never encountered such admiration for the settlements in Judea and Samaria. Senior mayors in the State of Israel say, 'We can debate many things, but the settlements are our protective belt.'"
Dagan emphasized sovereignty as a critical security measure, "What will prevent the next October 7 is bringing sovereignty to Judea and Samaria and encouraging emigration. The settlements are Israel's security belt. The ball is not in Washington – it's in Jerusalem. We will launch a clear campaign demanding full sovereignty in Judea and Samaria."
Rabbi Aharon Cohen reinforced this message, stating, "We are on the eve of Passover, and it is our duty to continue building the settlements. This redemption will not come by miracle, it depends on each one of us."
