Amihai (Hebrew: עַמִּיחַי) is an Israeli settlement organized as a communal settlement in the Shilo settlement bloc in the West Bank. In 2022 it had a population of 264.[1]
Amihai
עַמִּיחַי | |
|---|---|
| Hebrew transcription(s) | |
| • unofficial | Amichai |
 | |
  Amihai  Amihai | |
| Coordinates: 32°2′45″N 35°19′40″E / 32.04583°N 35.32778°E | |
| Council | Mateh Binyamin |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founded by | Evacuees from Amona |
| Population (2022)[1] | 264 |
The international community considers all Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, which the Israeli government disputes.[2]
There is a plan to expand Amihai both west and east, and to include the outpost of Adei Ad (currently illegal even under Israeli law) in its jurisdiction, thereby legalizing the outpost.[3] This is a highly controversial plan, which according to both critics and advocates, will result in the effective severance of West Bank's territorial contiguity, specifically between Central West Bank (Ramallah and Jerusalem) and Northern West Bank (Nablus, Jenin, etc.). This would have the effect of undermining the prospects of the realization of the Two-state solution.[4][5]
History
editAmihai is one of the few Israeli settlements to be founded in the 21st century. Authorization for Amihai was given by the Israeli government as a result of a deal with residents of Amona, who were evacuated from their homes following a 2014 Israeli Supreme Court ruling.[6] Amona's residents asked to be moved to a hill near the Geulat Zion outpost, east of Shilo.
Construction in Amihai began in June 2017. Temporary homes were installed in February 2018,[7] and the first families moved in March 2018.
References
edit- ^ a b "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ "The Geneva Convention". BBC News. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- ^ Magid, Jacob (August 8, 2018). "State planning to triple size of new settlement for Amona evacuees". The Times of Israel. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ Shalom, Oded. “Oslo Is Dead, Amichai Is Alive.” Ynetnews, September 11, 2018. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5392886,00.html.
- ^ “Settlement Report: November 15, 2018.” Foundation for Middle East Peace, November 15, 2018. https://fmep.org/resource/settlement-report-november-15-2018/.
- ^ "הקמת יישוב למפוני עמונה במועצה האזורית מטה בנימין" [Foundation of a Locality for Amona Evacuees in Mateh Binyamin Regional Council] (in Hebrew). Israeli Prime Minister's Office. March 30, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ Lazaroff, Tovah (February 21, 2018). "First 36 homes go up in new Amichai settlement". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved August 30, 2018.