Kokhav HaShahar
Encyclopedia
Kokhav HaShahar is an Israeli settlement
in the Binyamin region of northern West Bank
. It is located on a mountain ridge overlooking the Jordan Valley
, and is accessible via the Allon Road
. Kokhav HaShahar falls under the municipal jurisdiction of the Matte Binyamin Regional Council
. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law
, but the Israeli government disputes this.
The settlement was founded by some nine young couples in 1979 on the site of an Israel Defence Forces outpost. As of 2008, it was home to about three hundred families.
North of Kokhav HaShahar and east of Ramallah
is the Maoz Esther outpost. The outpost was established in 2005 by residents of Kokhav HaShahar, and was named after Ester Galia, a Kokhav HaShahar resident who was murdered at Rimonim
junction. Consisting of seven huts, it was destroyed by Israel Police
in May 2009. Maoz Esther has been repeatedly rebuilt and destroyed. The most recent destruction event occurred 13 October 2010.
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...
in the Binyamin region of northern 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...
. It is located on a mountain ridge overlooking the Jordan Valley
Jordan Valley (Middle East)
The Jordan Valley forms part of the larger Jordan Rift Valley. It is 120 kilometers long and 15 kilometers wide, where it runs from Lake Tiberias in the north to northern Dead Sea in the south. It runs for an additional 155 kilometer south of the Dead Sea to Aqaba, an area also known as Wadi...
, and is accessible via the Allon Road
Allon Road
The Allon Road is the name commonly given by Israelis to routes #578, #508, and #458 in the West Bank, running roughly north-south between Mehola in the central Jordan Valley and east of Ma'ale Adummim on the eastern outskirts of Jerusalem....
. Kokhav HaShahar falls under the municipal jurisdiction of the Matte Binyamin Regional Council
Matte Binyamin Regional Council
Mateh Binyamin Regional Council is a regional council covering 42 Israeli settlements in the southern Samarian hills of the West Bank. The seat of the council is Psagot. The council is named for the ancient Israelite tribe of Benjamin, whose territory roughly corresponds to that of the council.In...
. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law
International law and Israeli settlements
The international community considers the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories illegal under international law, but Israel maintains that they are consistent with international law because it does not agree that the Fourth Geneva Convention applies to the...
, but the Israeli government disputes this.
The settlement was founded by some nine young couples in 1979 on the site of an Israel Defence Forces outpost. As of 2008, it was home to about three hundred families.
North of Kokhav HaShahar and east of Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
is the Maoz Esther outpost. The outpost was established in 2005 by residents of Kokhav HaShahar, and was named after Ester Galia, a Kokhav HaShahar resident who was murdered at Rimonim
Rimonim
Rimonim , is an Israeli settlement located on the Allon Road in the West Bank in the jurisdiction of the Matte Binyamin Regional Council about a twenty minute drive east from Jerusalem. As of 2011, the population of the village was about 150 families...
junction. Consisting of seven huts, it was destroyed by Israel Police
Israel Police
The Israel Police is the civilian police force of Israel. As with most other police forces in the world, its duties include crime fighting, traffic control, maintaining public safety, and counter-terrorism...
in May 2009. Maoz Esther has been repeatedly rebuilt and destroyed. The most recent destruction event occurred 13 October 2010.