MIGDAL OZ — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the inauguration of the Hatayelet neighborhood in Kibbutz Migdal Oz on June 26, 2026. First Lady Sara Netanyahu accompanied the prime minister to the event. Noam Leiter and Ofri Nir were also in attendance. Ofri Nir's father died in combat in Gaza in January 2024. Noam Leiter is the son of Yechiel Leiter, who serves as the U.S. Ambassador.

The Prime Minister's Office indicated that the Hatayelet neighborhood is projected to double the size of Migdal Oz within a year. According to the United Nations and PeaceNow, the Israeli government has approved dozens of new settlements since the conflict began in 2023. Additionally, at least 100 unauthorized outposts have been rapidly established or expanded since the onset of the war.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's government took office in December 2022. Hamas conducted attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, preceding the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu stated that the community's expansion represents a historical return. "The community's growth is a symbolic act of historical return, national survival, and continuity," Netanyahu said. He added, "The community is a manifestation of our spirit of vitality and of our sacred mission: to take root in our homeland despite our enemies, despite all the pressures; and to ensure that we are not merely treading over the past of the nation of Israel, but that we are securing its future."

Why It Matters

The inauguration of the Hatayelet neighborhood follows reports of continued settlement expansion in the West Bank. The United Nations and PeaceNow stated that dozens of new settlements were approved and over 100 outposts were established or expanded since the conflict in Gaza began in late 2023. These actions occurred before a 2025 public opinion survey by Shield of Abraham indicated that a majority of Israelis are critical of settlement expansions and believe they harm Israel's international standing.