Homesh Docuseries Succeeds Beyond its Wildest Dreams
The "Homesh Plan" docuseries has hit a record-breaking 624,000 views on Channel 14, overcoming a boycott by public film funds. Homesh chronicles the six-year struggle of yeshiva students to reclaim the evacuated settlement,
The Samaria Film Fund is celebrating a "phenomenal cultural victory" today as its new documentary series, Tochnit Homesh (The Homesh Plan), reached over 624,000 views across Channel 14 and digital platforms. The massive ratings success comes after multiple public film funds and festivals reportedly rejected the project, citing its "lack of complexity" regarding Israeli settlements.
The series, created by Yoav Elitzur and Eli Singer, follows the six-year struggle of students at the Homesh Yeshiva. Despite the site being declared a "closed military zone" following the 2005 Disengagement, students lived in caves and tents for years to maintain a Jewish presence.
According to the creators, public funds supported by the Ministry of Culture refused to finance the project. Rejection letters shared by the production team claimed "In today’s political climate, there is no room for a film that does not show complexity regarding settlements."
Some critics argued the film failed to address the "illegal nature" of the residency or focused too heavily on the murder of student Yehuda Dimentman without discussing "revenge" or Palestinian perspectives.
Yossi Dagan, Samaria Regional Council Chairman and head of the Samaria Film Fund, hailed the high viewership as a turning point in Israeli culture. "Not a dry eye remained," Dagan stated. "This is a living testimony to the pioneering spirit of a small group that refused to accept the injustice of the deportation. It is a victory for the real stories of Israeli society, shown without filters."
The series highlights the extreme conditions endured by the students, including raids, evictions, and the tragic 2021 terror attack, which ultimately led to the historic repeal of the Disengagement Law in northern Samaria.
The series was broadcast to coincide with "Gush Katif and Northern Samaria Day" in schools, marking 20 years since the 2005 withdrawal. Producers Yoav Elitzur and Eli Singer expressed hope that the massive public response would "change the public consciousness" regarding the residents of the hilltops and the broader settlement movement.