Thousands of Israelis, including government ministers and Knesset members, marched to the Samaria Jewish town of Evyatar on Monday to demand legalization of the outpost.
The marchers proceeded under heavy security, protected by IDF soldiers and Israel Police, on a route that was a few kilometers from the terrorist hotbed town of Huwara, south of Shechem.
Israeli media estimated the crowd at between 10,000 and 17,000 participants.
Among the ministers who participated in the march were Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
“We will not surrender to terrorism, not in Evyatar, not in Tel Aviv,” Ben-Gvir said in a video message he sent from the march. “If you surrender to terror you’ll surrender everywhere but we are here in order to say ‘the Jewish people are strong.’”
Knesset members Simcha Rothman and Boaz Bismuth were also among the marchers, along with Religious Zionism movement leaders who included Tzfat Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, former Chief Rabbi of Hebron and Kiryat Arba Rabbi Dov Lior, Samaria Regional Council Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, former Chief Rabbi of Ramat Gan Yaakov Ariel, and Yeshivat Har Etzion Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yaakov Medan.
“The arrival of the masses today is proof that the people of Israel want Evyatar and want Zionism,” Samaria Regional Council chief Yossi Dagan said in brief remarks before the marchers set off.
“Together we march now and say we will never give up on the Land of Israel. It is possible and necessary to overcome weaknesses and delays; it is possible and necessary to settle in our eternal Land of Israel.”
