The Samaria Council on Monday night distributed hundreds of rifles to the emergency squad in Samaria - less than two weeks after Samaria Council head Yossi Dagan purchased 300 rifles for the squad.
Funds for the rifles were donated by friends of Samaria from abroad, and the weapons have now been distributed in the relevant settlements.
On Monday night, hundreds of weapons arrived at the Samaria Regional Council, and it began distributing the weapons, in coordination with the IDF. That night, nearly 200 first weapons were distributed. The Samaria Regional Council is expecting to complete the purchase of 300 weapons for the Council, in the coming days. The purchase was made in coordination and with the approval of the Ministry of Internal Security, and in full coordination with the IDF and the Ministry of Defense.
The weapons purchased by the Samaria Regional Council are Arad assault rifles (M16 from an upgraded M4 model), for combat in built-up areas used by the IDF and the elite units and were purchased from the IWI company (formerly the Israel Defense Forces). One hundred assault rifles were also purchased from "Imtan" company in Karmiel. On Monday night the first 200 guns were distributed, in the coming days over 100 more guns will be distributed.
Speaking at the Monday night event, Dagan said, "We are fighting with an iron fist, united. We do our part in the defense of the communities in Samaria and thereby share in the victory of the State of Israel."
"What happened will never happen again. We will defend Samaria, we will defend the State of Israel and there is total mobilization in all the localities - everywhere. We stand here for both our lives and the honor of the people of Israel."
Dagan thanked the friends of Samaria in Europe and the US who contributed millions of shekels to the purchase of the weapons, saying: "I would like to thank the friends of Samaria around the world from Miami, Manhattan, Los Angeles, Montreal, Paris, London, wherever and whenever they have been accompanying us and helping us for years, and who now mobilized, opened their hearts in many millions, to help with weapons, means of defense and means of warfare."
"We are Jews! We are not afraid and with God's help we will defeat these barbarians together."
Among the recipients of the weapons was Benjamin Horgan, who lost his wife Esther Horgan in a December 2020 terror attack and joined the emergency squad in his community, Tal Menashe. Esther Horgan had been jogging in the forest near her home when terrorist Muhammad Maruh Kabh brutally murdered her by bludgeoning her head with a rock. She is survived by her husband and six children.
Her husband, Benjamin thanked the Council for purchasing the weapons, saying: "I want to thank from the bottom of my heart all the donors, Yossi Dagan and the Regional Council of Samaria, who took care of the equipment that allows us to protect the communities and our families and our country."
"We have gathered here, citizens and soldiers alike, to win, we will not allow these barbarians to do whatever they want. Thank you very much for all your support, thanks to you we will be able to protect our home and our families."