Foreign Ministry’s public diplomacy staff meets West Bank settlement leader in show of support

The Foreign Ministry's public diplomacy staff visited the West Bank and met with Yisrael Ganz, chairman of the Yesha Council, in a show of government support for settlements. Senior deputy director general Yacov Livne posted a photo, calling the visit 'a valuable opportunity to see the region up close and share its story with the world.'

The public diplomacy staff of Israel's Foreign Ministry visited the West Bank on August 9, 2026, and met with Yisrael Ganz, chairman of the Yesha Council, an umbrella group for Israeli settlements. The visit signals the government's support for the settlement enterprise. Yacov Livne, the ministry's senior deputy director general for public diplomacy, posted a photo of the visit on social media, writing that 'Judea and Samaria are at the heart of the Land of Israel' and calling the meeting 'a valuable opportunity to see the region up close and share its story with the world.' The location of the visit was not disclosed. Most of the international community considers settlements a violation of international law, a characterization Israel rejects. In recent years, the government has taken steps to expand settlements, with the goal of blocking the establishment of a Palestinian state.