Elkana
Encyclopedia
Elkana or Elqana is an Israeli settlement
and local council
in the north-western Samaria
n hills in the West Bank
. Elkana is situated just to the east of the Green Line
and the city of Rosh HaAyin
. The Trans-Samarian Highway
previously cut through the town until 2000 when the road, which now skirts to the south, was upgraded. It was founded in 1977 by a group from Gush Emunim
of religious and non-religious Jews. As of 2002, it had a population of 4,000 people or 800 families.
Elkana was established as one the earliest settlements after 64 Knesset
members signed a bill to allow the use of state land in the area for construction. On 1 May 1977, fifteen men climbed the hill and started preparing the area for families for the official day on 10 May. Amongst the first families to move to the settlement was that of the former Chief of Staff
Shaul Mofaz
ten days later. Elkana became the fourth community to be established by the Seventeenth government of Israel
headed by Yitzhak Rabin
, following the Kadum outpost, Ofra
, and Ma'ale Adumim. A few months later, forty families had moved in to prefabricated home
's called 'ashkubiot' and after two years, over a hundred families lived in the village.
In 1983, the first permanent structures were built as the village was divided into different neighbourhoods named after the amount of homes planned in each one: 220, 165, 80, and 34 (also called Bnai Elkana). More recently, two newer neighbourhoods have been built; One on the northern side of the town as well as another smaller one to the west.
The town was named after the nearby Nahal Qana
and Elkanah
, father of Samuel, who is believed to have lived in the area. Virtually all of the town's residents are religious of a primarily national religious
orientation.
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
and local council
Local council (Israel)
Local councils are one of the three types of local government found in Israel, with the other two being cities and regional councils. As of 2003, there were 144 local councils in Israel, these being settlements which pass a minimum threshold enough to justify their operations as independent...
in the north-western Samaria
Samaria
Samaria, or the Shomron is a term used for a mountainous region roughly corresponding to the northern part of the West Bank.- Etymology :...
n hills in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. Elkana is situated just to the east of the Green Line
Green Line (Israel)
Green Line refers to the demarcation lines set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and its neighbours after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
and the city of Rosh HaAyin
Rosh HaAyin
Rosh HaAyin is a city in the Center District of Israel. To the west of Rosh HaAyin is the fortress of Antipatris and the source of the Yarkon River. To the southeast is the fortress of Migdal Afek...
. The Trans-Samarian Highway
Highway 5 (Israel)
Highway 5, or the Trans-Samaria Highway , is one of Israel's main highways, connecting the Mediterranean coast immediately north of Tel Aviv with the central Sharon plain and eastwards to Ariel and other Israeli settlements in the northern West Bank, known under the biblical name Samaria.The name...
previously cut through the town until 2000 when the road, which now skirts to the south, was upgraded. It was founded in 1977 by a group from Gush Emunim
Gush Emunim
Gush Emunim was an Israeli messianic and political movement committed to establishing Jewish settlements in the West Bank. While not formally established as an organization until 1974 in the wake of the Yom Kippur War, Gush Emunim sprang out of the conquests of the Six-Day War in 1967, encouraging...
of religious and non-religious Jews. As of 2002, it had a population of 4,000 people or 800 families.
Elkana was established as one the earliest settlements after 64 Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
members signed a bill to allow the use of state land in the area for construction. On 1 May 1977, fifteen men climbed the hill and started preparing the area for families for the official day on 10 May. Amongst the first families to move to the settlement was that of the former Chief of Staff
Ramatkal
The Chief of the General Staff, also known as the Commander-in-Chief of the Israel Defense Forces is the supreme commander and Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. At any given time, the Chief of Staff is the only active officer holding the IDF's highest rank, Rav Aluf , which is usually...
Shaul Mofaz
Shaul Mofaz
Lt. General Shaul Mofaz is an Israeli politician who serves as the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs And Defense Committee at the Knesset...
ten days later. Elkana became the fourth community to be established by the Seventeenth government of Israel
Seventeenth government of Israel
The seventeenth government of Israel was formed by Yitzhak Rabin on 3 June 1974, following the resignation of Prime Minister Golda Meir on 11 April and Rabin's election as Labor Party leader on 26 April...
headed by Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin
' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
, following the Kadum outpost, Ofra
Ofra
Ofra is an Israeli settlement located in the northern West Bank in the jurisdiction of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. It is situated on the main road between Jerusalem and Nablus , 25 km from Jerusalem and has 3,200 inhabitants ....
, and Ma'ale Adumim. A few months later, forty families had moved in to prefabricated home
Prefabricated home
Prefabricated homes, often referred to as prefab homes, are dwellings manufactured off-site in advance, usually in standard sections that can be easily shipped and assembled....
's called 'ashkubiot' and after two years, over a hundred families lived in the village.
In 1983, the first permanent structures were built as the village was divided into different neighbourhoods named after the amount of homes planned in each one: 220, 165, 80, and 34 (also called Bnai Elkana). More recently, two newer neighbourhoods have been built; One on the northern side of the town as well as another smaller one to the west.
The town was named after the nearby Nahal Qana
Nahal Qana
Nahal Qana is an intermittent stream in Israel, the northernmost tributary of the Yarkon River.-Geography:Nahal Qana begins in the hills of Mount Gerizim, reaches the Sharon plain near Jaljulia and empties into the Yarkon just west of the Yarkon interchange |Highway 5]]).It runs south of Immanuel,...
and Elkanah
Elkanah (husband of Hannah)
Elkanah was, according to the Books of Samuel, the husband of Hannah, and the father of her children including her first, Samuel. Elkanah practised polygamy; his other wife, less favoured but bearing more children, was named Peninnah. The names of Elkanah's other children apart from Samuel are...
, father of Samuel, who is believed to have lived in the area. Virtually all of the town's residents are religious of a primarily national religious
Religious Zionism
Religious Zionism is an ideology that combines Zionism and Jewish religious faith...
orientation.
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.