New Pre-Military Academy Established in West Bank Settlement of Emek Dotan
A new pre-military academy has opened in the West Bank settlement of Emek Dotan, joined by dozens of students and families, featuring a Torah scroll dedication attended by Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
A month after the establishment of the new settlement of Emek Dotan in the northern West Bank, a pre-military mechina headed by Rabbi Haim Baruch has arrived at the site. Dozens of new students joined the 22 pioneering families who have already settled in the area. During the moving arrival ceremony, a Torah scroll was dedicated to the mechina's study hall, with the participation of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, rabbis, public figures, and resident families celebrating the expansion of Jewish settlement in the region.
The settlement of Emek Dotan was established near the historical Dothan valley, where according to tradition Joseph searched for his brothers, and near the legendary battle site of the 45th Brigade during the Six-Day War. It is the eighth settlement established by the Samaria Regional Council in less than a year, and the first new settlement established in the northern West Bank alongside the communities evacuated during the 2005 disengagement. The establishment is part of the 'Hitvachrut' plan led by the council, which includes founding 19 new communities in the area to strengthen security and rectify the grievance of the uprooting.
Official Responses and Security Focus
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed the move, stating that where communities were once uprooted, new settlements are now being built and a Torah scroll is being introduced. Minister Ben Gvir emphasized that the response to terror is strength, governance, and settlement, noting the reinforcement of standby squads, fire stations, and the arming of citizens. Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan added that a new future is being built in the place where attempts were made to uproot communities.
"The response to terror is strength, governance, and settlement, and we will continue to build and expand across the region."
Educational and Community Expansion
Yeshiva head Rabbi Haim Baruch, who leads pre-military institutions in Bruchin, Lod, Tiberias, and Emek Dotan, noted the importance of returning the voice of the Torah to the center of the northern West Bank. The Samaria Regional Council stated that the establishment of the mechina and the expansion of the settlement are part of broader measures to secure the future of the northern West Bank as an integral part of the country.
