Nisanit
Encyclopedia
Nisanit was the largest Israeli settlement
in the northern tip of the Gaza Strip
in a mini-settlement bloc including Elei Sinai
and Dugit
. While Nisanit was under the municipal authority of the Hof Aza Regional Council
it was not physically in the Gush Katif
bloc where the bulk of the 'Gush Katif' settlements were located.
The village was established as a Nahal
military outpost in 1980 and demilitarized when turned over for civilian residential purposes in 1984 to 15 pioneer families. In 1993, its status was changed to 'urban community'. Nisanit also served as a satellite municipal branch of the regional council for the three northern Gaza Strip settlements. The name of the town is the Hebrew translation of the Hawksbeard
flower
which is widespread in the area's sand dunes in spring
.
Nisanit, which numbered about 300 families (around 900 people), was one of the few 'mixed' Gush Katif settlements with Orthodox
and non-religious Jews living together.
Nisanit's residents were evicted on August 21, 2005 by Israeli Army and Israeli Police personnel as part of the unilateral disengagement plan
. The houses were destroyed and the area was later transferred to the Palestinians.
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 northern tip of the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
in a mini-settlement bloc including Elei Sinai
Elei Sinai
Elei Sinai was an Israeli settlement in the north of Gaza Strip. It was established in 1982 by a group who had been evicted from Yamit. It was named for the yearning to return to the Sinai desert, where Yamit was located....
and Dugit
Dugit
Dugit was an Israeli settlement located in the northern tip of the Gaza Strip closest to the shore of the Mediterranean Sea in a mini-settlement bloc including Elei Sinai and Nisanit...
. While Nisanit was under the municipal authority of the Hof Aza Regional Council
Hof Aza Regional Council
The Hof Aza Regional Council was a regional council of Israel until 2005 when its residents were evicted from their homes and the area was liquidated as part of Israel's unilateral disengagement plan.The seat was in Neve Dekalim...
it was not physically in the Gush Katif
Gush Katif
Gush Katif was a bloc of 17 Israeli settlements in the southern Gaza strip. Gush Katif was specifically mentioned by Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli prime minister who fell victim to an assassin in 1995, as essential to Israel's security border. In August 2005, the Israeli army moved the 8,600...
bloc where the bulk of the 'Gush Katif' settlements were located.
The village was established as a Nahal
Nahal
Nahal is an Israel Defense Forces infantry brigade. Historically, it refers to a program that combines military service and establishment of new agricultural settlements, often in outlying areas...
military outpost in 1980 and demilitarized when turned over for civilian residential purposes in 1984 to 15 pioneer families. In 1993, its status was changed to 'urban community'. Nisanit also served as a satellite municipal branch of the regional council for the three northern Gaza Strip settlements. The name of the town is the Hebrew translation of the Hawksbeard
Hawksbeard
Hawksbeard may refer to:*Crepis, a cosmoplitan plant genus*Youngia, an Asiatic plant genus...
flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
which is widespread in the area's sand dunes in spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
.
Nisanit, which numbered about 300 families (around 900 people), was one of the few 'mixed' Gush Katif settlements with Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
and non-religious Jews living together.
Nisanit's residents were evicted on August 21, 2005 by Israeli Army and Israeli Police personnel as part of the unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut", was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from...
. The houses were destroyed and the area was later transferred to the Palestinians.