Israel Officially Reopens Ganim Settlement, 21 Years After 2005 Evacuation

Israel held an official reopening ceremony for the West Bank settlement of Ganim, near Jenin, on August 13, 2026 — more than two decades after it was evacuated under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's 2005 disengagement plan. About two dozen prefabricated homes have already been installed, with construction machinery clearing space for more on the hillside. Roughly 100 people attended, including Defense Minister Israel Katz and Yossi Dagan, head of the Israeli settlement authority for the northern West Bank. Under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, three of the four settlements evacuated in 2005 — Ganim, Sa-Nur, and Homesh — have now been officially re-established. Palestinians in the valley below told reporters they fear the settlement's growth will worsen their lives or lead to displacement.