Israel Re-establishes Sa-Nur West Bank Settlement 21 Years After Evacuation
Israel held a ceremony Sunday to re-establish the Sa-Nur settlement in the northern West Bank, 21 years after it was evacuated. Hundreds of people attended the event celebrating one of four former settlements the government recently approved for rebuilding.
Hundreds of Israelis gathered Sunday to celebrate the re-establishment of Sa-Nur, a settlement in the northern West Bank that was evacuated 21 years ago. The settlement was one of several dismantled in 2005 under Israel's disengagement plan.
Sa-Nur is one of four former West Bank settlements that Israel's government recently approved for rebuilding. Israeli ministers attended the ceremony marking the settlement's return after more than two decades.
The original Sa-Nur settlement was evacuated in 2005 as part of Israel's broader withdrawal from some occupied territories. That disengagement plan was aimed at reducing friction with Palestinians and potentially advancing peace talks.
In 2018, about 200 Jewish settlers visited the abandoned site with support from Israeli lawmakers, challenging the original evacuation decision. The government's Security Cabinet formally approved the settlement's re-establishment in May 2025.
The West Bank is territory that Palestinians want for a future state. International law generally considers Israeli settlements in occupied territories illegal, though Israel disputes this.
This move signals Israel's shift away from past peace efforts that required giving up land for Palestinian statehood. It could increase tensions in the region and affect future negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Watch for Palestinian and international reactions to the settlement re-establishment and potential approval of the three other former settlements.
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