Kiryat Netafim
Kiryat Netafim
קִרְיַת נְטָפִים | |
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  Kiryat Netafim | |
| Coordinates: 32°6′58″N 35°6′49″E / 32.11611°N 35.11361°E / 32.11611; 35.11361 | |
| District | Judea and Samaria Area |
| Council | Shomron |
| Region | West Bank |
| Affiliation | Hapoel HaMizrachi |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founded by | Nahal |
| Population (2022)[1] | 1,009 |
Kiryat Netafim (Hebrew: קִרְיַת נְטָפִים, Arabic: كريات نتافيم) is an Israeli settlement in the northern West Bank. Located about 8 km west of the city Ariel, it is organised as a community settlement and falls under the jurisdiction of Shomron Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 1,009.
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.[2]
History
Kiryat Netafim was founded in June 1986, on land belonging to the Palestinian villages of Qarawat Bani Hassan,[3][4] and Haris,[5] by a group of Orthodox Yemenite Jews as another link in a chain of settlements built along the Trans-Samaria Highway and adjacent to the Barkan Industrial Park. It is named after a Bible verse: "New wine will drip from the mountains." (Amos 9:13) Since then, Kiryat Netafim has lost its homogeneous nature while accepting families from many different backgrounds.[citation needed]
In 2009 Peace Now petitioned the Israeli High Court, and laid a complaint against the then Defence Minister Ehud Barak, to order the demolition of 14 illegal structures built without authorization on public and private Palestinian land. The Defence ministry replied given approval to construction plans that would legalize the 14 structures. An interim injunction from the High Court on October 1 prohibited construction until the legal issues were settled. A further request was made on December 29 to find the settlers guilty of contempt for breaching the injunction to stop building. The state admitted the fact but requested the breach be ignored because the state had limited resources to regulate settlements and different priorities.[6][7][8]
In November 2014 Netafim began bulldozing and clearing further Qarawat Bani Hassan territory, under the protecting of IDF troops, in a measure apparently designed to extend the settlement.[4]
The community is located in the vicinity of several archaeological sites.
Education
The settlement has two kindergartens and one nursery.
References
- ^ "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ "The Geneva Convention". BBC News. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
- ^ Qarawat Bani Hassan Town Profile, ARIJ, p. 17
- ^ a b 'Israeli settlers level Palestinian land west of Salfit,' Archived 2014-12-07 at the Wayback Machine Ma'an News Agency 9 November 2014.
- ^ Haris Village Profile, p. 17
- ^ Aviad Glickman, 'Petition: Raze 15 structures in Kiryat Netafim settlement,' Archived 2012-10-24 at the Wayback Machine Ynet 27 August 2009.
- ^ 'Israel approves new building plan for West Bank settlement,' Archived 2017-02-20 at the Wayback MachineHaaretz December 28, 2009.
- ^ 'Suspect violation of interim injunction against construction, residency in settlement,' Jerusalem Post 13 July 2010.