Khaberni - The Israeli newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" reported the death of the settler Sam Berlev, one of the most prominent pioneers of settlement in the occupied Arab territories, and the former head of the local council in the Golan settlement of Katzrin, at the age of 84.
The newspaper described Berlev as the "architect of settlement in the Golan Heights" and one of the strongest opponents of the late Prime Minister Menachem Begin's decision to withdraw from Sinai as part of the peace agreement with Egypt in 1979, considering it a "dangerous precedent" that could threaten Israel's existence in the Golan Heights.
Berlev was born in Iraq, immigrated to Israel as a child and after the 1967 war, his life path changed, dedicating his efforts to building settlements in the Golan. He lived in the town of Quneitra until it was returned to Syria, then moved in 1979 to live in Katzrin, where he was appointed head of the local council in 1980, and continued in his position for more than 32 consecutive years.
Berlev contributed to the discovery of the ancient Katzrin synagogue during archaeological excavations, and played a key role in developing the infrastructure of modern Golan. According to the newspaper, his wife Ramona agreed to move with him to the Golan on condition that the settlement be "urban"; he himself initiated the founding of Katzrin town to fulfill her wish.
In the 1990s, Berlev personally went to Ben Gurion Airport to welcome Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union and directly transported them to the Golan before they settled in the central part of the country.
Yedioth reported that Berlev had political disputes with most Israeli prime ministers — from Golda Meir to Benjamin Netanyahu — against any hint of relinquishing the Golan, and organized loud hunger strikes under the slogan: "The People with the Golan".
He saw Begin's withdrawal from Sinai as a strategic threat, once saying: "I explained to them that this would not bring peace, and that the price was unacceptable".
He also commented on the position of the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, saying: "Our miracle is Assad. He insisted on washing his feet in Lake Tiberias and was not willing to concede an inch. This situation is like the story of Pharaoh, whose heart was 'hardened by God'... and eventually, the stubbornness and evil of the enemy turn into a blessing for us".
The newspaper added that Berlev lived to witness the collapse of the Syrian regime, Bashar al-Assad's flight to Russia, and the complete transformation of the regional landscape, noting in a previous interview that "the quiet that lasted 40 years in the Golan was the fruit of holding onto the land," and said: "We are grateful to God that we are in the Golan and not on Lake Tiberias' shore. If we had retreated, there would be an Islamic state in 'Ein Gav' today."
The newspaper concluded its report by praising "Berlev's steadfast vision," calling for the adoption of "current concepts" in facing challenges in Gaza and the West Bank, and affirming that "holding onto the Golan was not stubbornness, but a survival strategy".
The newspaper also conveyed from the "Telegraph" a report on discussions within the American administration — attributed to the "Trump administration" — regarding providing safety for British Jews due to the rise in anti-Semitism in the UK. It mentioned that Robert Garson, Trump’s personal lawyer and born in Britain, advocated to welcome them in the United States, describing the British Jewish community as "educated, attractive, English-speaking, and almost crime-free".
However, the newspaper commented on the idea by saying: "The offer seems 'bitter-sweet': why migrate to America instead of returning to Israel? The ultimate goal is Israel, so why waste time at intermediate stops?"
It quoted Yaakov Hagoel, head of the World Zionist Organization, saying: "Those who are afraid to be Jewish, their descendants will have no connection to Judaism," and described the statement as "shocking and powerful."
It pointed out that about 60,000 Jews had migrated to Israel since the beginning of the war (presumably referring to the October 2023 war), a number that is "large but small compared to the potential," inviting the imagination of a "tectonic movement" that would bring millions of Jews from America, Canada, France, Britain, and Belgium to Israel, "which would make our current problems seem small in comparison to this momentum."
