Oranit
Oranit
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Local council (from 1990) | |
Coordinates: 32°7′45.5″N 34°59′42.76″E / 32.129306°N 34.9952111°E | |
Region | West Bank |
District | Judea and Samaria Area |
Founded | 1983 |
Government | |
• Head of Municipality | Nir Bartal |
Area | |
• Total | 2,069 dunams (2.069 km2 or 511 acres) |
Population (2022)[1] | |
• Total | 9,295 |
• Density | 4,500/km2 (12,000/sq mi) |
Name meaning | Little pine |
Website | http://www.oranit.org.il/ |
Oranit (
The international community considers Israeli settlements illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.[2]
History
According to ARIJ, Israel confiscated land from two nearby Palestinian villages in order to construct Oranit: most of the land was taken from Azzun Atma,[3] while 6 dunams from ‘Izbat Salman.[4]
In April 1983, the Israeli government approved the establishment of Oranit, one of three settlements planned for "western Samaria".[5]
According to
In 1985, the first residents moved in. In 1990, Oranit achieved local council status. In 2009, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu imposed a 10-month freeze on construction in Oranit and other Israeli settlements in the West Bank.[8] Building inspectors of the Israeli military's civil administration issued a stop-work order, sending home a crew of Palestinian laborers who had been employed at a building site in Oranit.[8]
According to Zvika Ma-Yafit, former mayor of Oranit, the town maintains good relations with nearby Kafr Qasim and the two towns have cooperated on environmental projects such as the development of a joint sewage system. Many residents of Kafr Qasim work in Oranit as gardeners and handymen.[9] He says the motive for moving to Oranit is not ideological but quality of life.[10]
Demographics
According to a 2009 survey, the population is young and evenly divided between men and women. Around 15% of the population is Orthodox, two-thirds of whom live in the town's religious neighborhood. Oranit ranked 8 out of 10 on the Israeli socio-economic scale.[11]
Education and culture
In an educational project at MultiCenter, a computer center at Park Afek industrial zone, Israeli and Palestinian children from Oranit, Rosh Ha'ayin and Kafr Qasim created a computer model for a virtual city of coexistence. According to the project director, the children learn about each other's language and culture, discuss strategies for promoting tolerance and avoiding violence, and use a program developed by MultiCenter to create a virtual dream city, complete with a map, logo and charter.[12]
Community facilities include a public swimming pool and tennis courts.[10]
Notable residents
- Shai Piron[13] (born 1965), Israeli politician (Yesh Atid) and former Minister of Education
References
- ^ "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ "The Geneva Convention". BBC. 10 December 2009.
- ^ "'Azzun 'Atma Village Profile" (PDF). Applied Research Institute–Jerusalem. 2013. p. 16. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ "The Western 'Izab Locality Profile (including 'Izbat Jal'ud, 'Izbat Salman, 'Izbat al Mudawwar & 'Izbat al Ashqar)" (PDF). Applied Research Institute–Jerusalem. 2013. p. 20. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ Nakhleh, Issa. "Encyclopedia of the Palestine Problem". Archived from the original on 5 July 2008.
- ^ "Enduring occupation: Palestinians under siege in the West Bank". Amnesty International. 4 June 2007. Archived from the original on 17 July 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
- United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. 1 July 2003. Archived from the originalon 2 December 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
- ^ a b Mitnick, Joshua (1 December 2009). "In Israeli settlements, residents and builders push back on 10-month freeze". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ Harrison, Donald H. (30 July 1999). "'Quality of life' is theme for bedroom community of Oranit". Jewish Sightseeing. San Diego Jewish Press-Heritage.
- ^ a b Golden, Tim (3 July 2002). "Dreams of Land Collide as Israeli Settlers Grow in Numbers". New York Times.
- ^ "Local Authorities in Israel 2009, Publication #1451 - Municipality Profiles - Oranit" (PDF) (in Hebrew). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
- Jerusalem Post. Archived from the originalon 16 March 2016.
- ^ "Shai Piron". Knesset. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
External links
- Official website (in Hebrew)