The Yesha Council on Monday announced the appointment of Israel Ganz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council, as its next chairman.
He replaces Shlomo Ne’eman, who until recently served as mayor of the Gush Etzion Regional Council.
Ganz recently began a second term as head of the Binyamin Regional Council—the largest regional council in Israel—after first being elected in 2018. He has close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and senior government ministers from all parties.
“I congratulate my friend Israel Ganz on his appointment to the position of chairman of the Yesha Council and wish him great success. Ganz is both a visionary and a hard worker who promotes issues related to the status and development of Judea and Samaria,” stated Ne’eman.
In recent years, he said, “We have led the road infrastructure revolution in Judea and Samaria, which is currently in full swing. [Ganz] is a partner and leader, along with the heads of the other councils, with a great sense of ideology and, in particular, he has fought strongly in regard to ‘open spaces’ in Judea and Samaria.”
Ganz has stressed that communities throughout Judea and Samaria must be considered an integral part of Israel, not separate entities.
These areas “stand at a dramatic and fateful crossroads that will affect their future, and the State of Israel as a whole. We face huge challenges to protect the heart of the State of Israel. Deepening our grip on the region will ensure the security and strengthening of the country,” he said.
“Living in Judea and Samaria should be like anywhere else in the State of Israel. The state’s … future is here, and we need to work hard to develop infrastructure and places of employment and commerce. Judea and Samaria can and should have a decisive contribution to the state’s economy and its resilience,” he added.
