Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich mourned on Saturday the passing of Moshe Zar, one of the key pioneers of Jewish communities in Samaria.
“A man of the Land of Israel, a pioneer of settlement, a trailblazer and guide,” Smotrich eulogized on X.
“One of the founding pillars of the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria, a man filled with love for the land, determination and courage,” he continued.
“Moshe dedicated his life to building the land, redeeming it parcel by parcel with unwavering devotion; all the more so after the terrible tragedy of the murder of his son Gilad, may his memory be a blessing. His legacy will continue to live on and inspire generations of pioneers,” the minister said.
Zar died on Friday at the age of 88. His funeral will take place at 5 p.m. on Sunday, at Mitzpe Tzva’im near Ramat Gilad in Samaria.
Zar was born in Jerusalem in 1937 and was one of the original members of the legendary Israel Defense Forces’ Unit 101 and the Paratroopers Brigade.
His father, Binyamin Zar, made aliyah, reaching Israel on foot from Iran.
Moshe Zar grew up in Tel Aviv. In 1955, he enlisted in the Paratroopers. He fought in the 1956 Sinai War and was seriously wounded in the head in the Battle of Mitla, losing his left eye.
He studied at the Merkaz HaRav yeshivah in Jerusalem with Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook.
Later, he moved to Moshav Nahalim and became friends with Rabbi Moshe Levinger, who introduced him to the Gush Emunim settlement project.
Redeeming the Land
Beginning in 1979, he became a successful land dealer, paving the way for the establishment of Jewish communities in Samaria including Immanuel, Karnei Shomron, Barkan and Ma’ale Shomron.
In 1983, an Arab landowner with whom he was trading struck Zar in the face and throat with an ax and shot him, seriously wounding him.
In 2001, his son Gilad Zar, the security coordinator of the Samaria Regional Council, was murdered in a shooting attack near Kedumim.
Following the murder, Zar purchased land near the attack site and founded Havat Gilad, aka Gilad Farm, an unauthorized outpost, in 2002. The community was granted legal status in 2018 and some 50 families live there today.
His family announced his death in a statement, Arutz Sheva reported: “The crown of our head has fallen. Woe to us, for we are broken. With broken and aching hearts, we announce the passing of the redeemer of Samaria’s lands and hero of Israel’s wars—our family patriarch, husband, father, grandfather, brother and brother-in-law, Moshe Zar, of blessed memory.
“May the clods of the Land of Israel, which he loved with all his soul and for which he gave his life, rest lightly upon him,” the statement concluded.
The Yesha Council—an umbrella organization of municipal councils of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria—issued a statement following Zar’s death. It praised his “glorious legacy of pioneering, love for the land, and immense contribution to the settlement of Judea and Samaria,” according to the report.
Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan was cited calling Zar “A hero of Israel, a founder of the Samaria settlement enterprise, a fearless fighter. He symbolized love for the Land of Israel, perseverance and action. The entire Samaria movement bows its head at the loss of the man whose efforts made settlement in Samaria and many other places in Israel possible.”
The head of the Karnei Shomron Local Council, Yonatan Kuznitz, said, “Moshe Zar was a model figure in the Jewish community in Samaria, driven by deep faith in the right of the Jewish people to return to their land,” Arutz Sheva reported.
“His home atop the hill became a symbol of steadfastness and Zionist determination. His legacy will continue to guide the path of all who love the land and the pioneers of future generations,” Koznitz continued.
Zar was involved in the Jewish Underground in the 1980s and was convicted in 1985 of causing grievous bodily harm and membership in a terrorist organization, after participating as a driver in the planting of an explosive device targeting the mayor of Nablus, Bassam Shakaa.
In 2015, he expressed remorse over his actions, calling on the youth to focus on building, and to leave fighting terrorism to the state.
Zar left behind his wife, Yael, and eight children, all activists in the Jewish communities’ movement in Judea and Samaria, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
