Sa-Nur

Sa-Nur, 1978

Sa-Nur (Hebrew: שא-נור, lit. 'Flame Carrier') is an Israeli settlement in the northern West Bank, just north of the Palestinian towns of Silat ad-Dhahr and Fandaqumiya, under the administrative jurisdiction of Shomron Regional Council.

This community was established in 1977 by the Gush Emunim movement and given its name after consultation with songwriter Naomi Shemer. Sa-Nur shares its name with Sanur, a nearby Palestinian community.

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.

Unilateral disengagement

Homesh and Sa Nur on the 2018 OCHA OpT map of Jenin

In September 2005 its 105 residents were evicted and Israel Defense Forces soldiers began dismantling Sanur as part of Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip. Prior to its demolition, Sa-Nur was home to 43 families. The demolition of Sa-Nur and Homesh marked the end of the central part of the disengagement plan. The only remaining structure, a synagogue, was buried under mounds of sand by bulldozers to prevent its destruction by the Palestinians.

Attempts to rebuild

Since the demolition, religious Zionist groups have attempted to return to Sa-Nur, in order to rebuild the community. On 8 May 2008, following a permitted Independence Day rally in Homesh, a group of 150 set off at night for Sa-Nur, including many former residents.

On 30 July 2015, marking the 10 year anniversary after the evacuation, 250 people, made up of 20 former families, attempted to resettle in Sa-Nur, before being forcibly evicted by the Israel Defense Forces.

In late July 2018, 200 Jewish settlers, supported by Bayit Yehudi MKs Shuli Mualem and Bezalel Smotrich, revisited the area as part of a plan to challenge the Disengagement Plan which led to the settlement's dismantlement.

Reestablishment

In May 2025, the government's Security Cabinet approved the reestablishment of Sa-Nur, along with the formerly dismantled settlement of Homesh, as well as the establishment of 20 other new settlements. The settlement was reestablished with caravans and a military base in 2026.

In July 2026, Sa-Nur hosted its highest profile foreign visitor to date, Dutch politician Geert Wilders.

See also

References

  1. ↑ About the Council- general background Archived 2007-11-06 at the Wayback Machine Shomron Regional Council
  2. ↑ עוז ישראל שוורץ (2024-09-24). "בהתייעצות עם נעמי שמר: כך נבחר שם היישוב שא-נור" [After consulting with Naomi Shemer: this is how the name of the settlement Sa-Nur was chosen.] (in Hebrew). Сругим.
  3. ↑ "The Geneva Convention". BBC News. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
  4. ↑ Q&A: The Gaza Withdrawal CTV, 12 September 2005
  5. 1 2 Thousands at Homesh; Dozens Attempt to Rebuild Sa-Nur Israel National News May 9, 2008
  6. ↑ Israel completes settler withdrawal plan CNN, 23 August 2005
  7. ↑ "IDF 'Buries' Synagogue in Evacuated Settlement of Sa-Nur" – via Haaretz.
  8. ↑ "Security Forces Begin Eviction in Sa-Nur". Israel National News. July 30, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Security forces evacuated settler families from Sa-Nur". The Jerusalem Post.
  10. ↑ Elisha Ben-Kimon, 'Settlers mark 13 years to evacuation with return to Sa-Nur', Ynet, 24 July 2018.
  11. ↑ "Gov't approves establishment of 22 new West Bank settlements". Jerusalem Post May 29, 2025.
  12. ↑ "בעיצומה של המלחמה: קרוואנים ראשונים בהתנחלות שפונתה ב-2005 - תיעוד". ynet.co.il. 2026-03-17.
  13. ↑ "חוזרים הביתה: זה הבסיס שצה"ל נטש וצפוי לחזור לפעילות". c14.co.il. 2026-02-26.
  14. ↑ "Geert Wilders visits family of IDF soldier killed in Samaria terror shooting". JNS July 27, 2026.

32°20′14″N 35°12′7″E / 32.33722°N 35.20194°E / 32.33722; 35.20194

  1. ↑ "Families return to the evacuated West Bank settlement of Ganim 21 years later". ynetnews. 2026-08-13.
  2. ↑ Ben Kimon, Elisha (September 1, 2025). "Two decades after Gaza disengagement, first kindergarten opens in Homesh settlement". Ynetnews. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
  3. ↑ "New homes erected in evacuated settlement in preparation for repopulation this summer". The Times of Israel. 6 August 2026. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  4. ↑ "בעיצומה של המלחמה: קרוואנים ראשונים בהתנחלות שפונתה ב-2005 - תיעוד". ynet.co.il. 2026-03-17.
  5. ↑ "חוזרים הביתה: זה הבסיס שצה"ל נטש וצפוי לחזור לפעילות". c14.co.il. 2026-02-26.