Israel’s Interior Ministry has granted official locality codes to Karmei Oz, also known as Givat Harel, in the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, and Sachlav in the Samaria Regional Council, completing the process of formally recognizing both communities. The two new designations join 37 locality codes granted in recent months. Karmei Oz was established 28 years ago and is considered part of Israel’s younger communities in Judea and Samaria.
1+Receiving an official locality code completes its formalization process and allows it to develop as an independent, officially recognized community. Sachlav was declared a new community by Israel’s Security Cabinet in December 2025. According to the Interior Ministry, a major city is planned for the site, spanning approximately 4,500 dunams. The granting of its locality code completes the formal recognition process.
The move follows administrative work by the Civil Administration and the Settlement Administration within the Defense Ministry. IDF Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth signed off on the communities’ jurisdictional boundaries, and the newly issued locality codes mean they are now officially recognized across Israeli government ministries.
1+Official locality status allows the communities to receive government services, including an authorized community security coordinator, Israel Post services and direct water connections through Mekorot. Finance Minister and Religious Zionism Party chairman Bezalel Smotrich hailed the move as a major achievement. “Within about six months, thank God, we succeeded in securing 39 locality codes as part of the establishment of new communities and the formalization of younger communities,” Smotrich said. “This is an enormous achievement and the fruit of the hard work of many partners who are devoted to this path.”
“Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria continue to grow and flourish at full strength,” he continued. “And in the face of an Eisenkot-Lieberman-Golan government that wants to destroy and uproot the communities and establish a ‘Palestinian’ state—we are building, planting and strengthening our hold on our ancestral homeland.” Smotrich thanked the Interior Ministry, Central Command, the Civil Administration and the Settlement Administration for advancing the measures.