(JNS) Taiwan’s representative in Israel on Sunday visited the Binyamin Regional Council in Samaria, where her government is making a significant donation to the “Nanasi” Medical Center.

Abby Ya-Ping Lee visited the site where advanced work is underway on the new hospital and laid a cornerstone for one of the center’s units. It marks the first time a foreign nation has made a financial contribution geared towards the development of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.

“Medical cooperation has been one of the central areas of collaboration between Taiwan and Israel in recent decades,” said Lee. “We are pleased to expand this cooperation to the regional level, through initial work with a regional council to save lives and to ensure the right to health regardless of ethnicity, age, or gender. Taiwan and Israel are neighbors in values and partners in challenging times.”

The medical center in Sha’ar Binyamin will serve as a state-of-the-art facility offering emergency care, advanced imaging, dialysis and a wide range of medical services. Phase 1, now fully funded, is set to open within two years. Future phases will expand to include comprehensive services such as CT and MRI imaging, a women’s health center, pulmonology, gastroenterology and more.

The Taiwanese representative was joined by Israeli lawmaker Ohad Tal of the Religious Zionism Party and met with Israel Ganz, Binyamin Regional Council Governor and chairman of the Yesha Council.

The visit was arranged by Tal, who recently led a delegation of Knesset members to Taiwan to promote cooperation between the two peoples.

“Especially in days when there are renewed attempts to sell us illusions of surrender in the spirit of Oslo and plans for a Palestinian state, we continue to connect our friends around the world to Judea and Samaria,” said Tal on Sunday.

“The tremendous military successes we have witnessed and Israel’s new strategic posture in the Middle East must be translated into victory and decisive achievements in our nearby arenas, to strengthen our hold and sovereignty across all areas of our homeland,” he added.

In May, Tal led a group—comprising MKs Eliyahu Revivo (Likud), Michael Biton (National Unity), Oded Forer (Yisrael Beiteinu) and Eitan Ginzburg (National Unity)—to Taipei City, where they met Taiwan’s Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, Foreign Minister Lin Chia, National Security Council head, legislators and industry leaders.

The delegation exchanged views on regional affairs and discussed expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence, culture, economy, information security, innovative industry, smart agriculture, technology and tourism.

On Sunday, Lee, Tal, and Ganz signed a joint declaration affirming the continuation of friendly relations between the sides.

“In recent times, we are witnessing increasing recognition from countries around the world of the presence of the State of Israel and the Jewish people in Judea and Samaria,” said Ganz.

“A heartfelt thank-you to Taiwan for this historic and important support for Binyamin and the Judea and Samaria communities. This donation is of immeasurable importance and … a symbol of the deep partnership forged today,” he added.

The Taiwanese representative also toured Binyamin’s emergency operations center, where she was briefed on procedures implemented during the recent war against Iran.

The visit concluded with a lunch at the Psagot Winery, where the Taiwanese representative received a historical and biblical overview of the site.

There, Ganz presented Lee with a unique photograph of a Star of David found in a mosaic floor uncovered at the archaeological site of Ancient Shiloh.

Alongside the gift, the following dedication was written: “This image of a Magen David—the Jewish symbol of protection and life—is taken from an ancient mosaic floor discovered in Shiloh, the first capital of Israel over 2,000 years ago. Just as Shiloh was once a place of sanctuary and spiritual healing, so too will the future Binyamin Medical Center serve as a beacon of care and compassion in our time.”

Last week, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen announced plans to build a power plant in Binyamin—the first since the Jewish state regained control of the region during the 1967 Six-Day War.

The facility is a “strategic necessity for Israel’s energy sector,” Cohen said in a statement. “Around half a million residents live in this area, so after 50 years, this is a long-overdue step.”

As of Jan. 1, 2025, 529,704 Israeli Jews lived in Judea and Samaria, amounting to approximately 5.28% of the country’s population.

Nearly 70% of Israelis want Jerusalem to extend full legal sovereignty over the territories, according to a poll conducted on Jan. 29.

Every Likud Party minister of the coalition government signed a letter on Wednesday calling for Israeli sovereignty to be applied over Judea and Samaria before the end of the Knesset’s summer session.

The letter was timed to coincide with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with US President Donald Trump on Monday at the White House in Washington, DC.

“We, ministers and Knesset members, call for the immediate application of Israeli sovereignty and law to Judea and Samaria,” stated the letter, which posits that establishing Israeli rule over those areas is a natural extension of Netanyahu’s success against Iran and its proxies.

“The massacre of Oct. 7 proved that … the establishment of a Palestinian state in the rest of the territory is an existential danger to Israel. It’s time for sovereignty,” it read.

The “strategic partnership” between Jerusalem and Washington, led by Trump, offers a unique opportunity to launch the sovereignty process now “and ensure Israel’s security for generations,” the letter concludes.

Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates