A pre-Passover ceremony for leaders of Jewish towns in Samaria took place this week in Nofim, 18.5 miles east of Tel Aviv, attended by approximately 700 leaders from communities across the region.
Organized by the Samaria Regional Council, the event featured a presentation where council head Yossi Dagan and Rabbi Aharon Cohen, rabbi of Yakir and the Kana bloc, honored Pastor Larry Huch with a certificate of appreciation and Trump Victory Wine from the Har Bracha Winery.
Huch, recognized as one of the 10 most influential evangelical leaders in the United States and a confidant of President Donald Trump, was acclaimed for his steadfast support of the Jewish communities and his partnership with Dagan in advocating for Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.
During his visit to the region about a year ago, Huch was moved to tears at Joseph’s Lookout on Mount Gerizim, south of Nablus, 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 remarked emotionally during the previous visit. “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 said. “Five years ago, when the U.S. 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.”
Judea and Samaria
Huch highlighted a recent declaration presented to 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 U.S., coordinated between NRB President Troy Miller and Dagan.
“Three thousand 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.
During his address, Huch disclosed details of a personal conversation with Trump: “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.’”
Dagan, speaking at the event following his return from a visit to Washington, said, “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.”
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 [by Arabs]. 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.”
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.”
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
