On Sunday, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal submitted by Peace Now and additional organizations against the Regional Councils of Judea, Samaria, and Binyamin, due to the support granted by the councils to the settlement movement of Gush Emunim, and their decision that established that the Amana movement was also eligible for support from the Councils.
Judges Vilner and Grosskopf ruled that the Amana movement fulfilled the three conditions required to be considered a “public institution” according to the regulations for support, and that there was therefore no legal obstacle to providing it with support.
The judges rejected the argument put forward by Peace Now that Amana is a collaborative organization and a private entity belonging to its members and that its activities were designed to benefit the members and bring them financial advantage.
“Yet again, Peace Now has come up against harsh reality,” said Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, in a statement following the verdict. “When they are forced to exit the delusional bubble they inhabit, they suddenly realize that there is such a thing as facts. The Supreme Court made the right decision in rejecting Peace Now’s petition – a petition that was designed to harm the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria and harm Israeli citizens who live there. The Samaria Regional Council will continue to be active in causing Judea and Samaria to flourish, and in building tens of thousands of homes and community structures, for the future benefit of the Jewish People in our Land.”