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Shitim

Coordinates: 30°10′36″N 35°00′59″E / 30.17667°N 35.01639°E / 30.17667; 35.01639
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Shitim
שיטים
شيتيم
Shitim is located in Southern Negev region of Israel
Shitim
Shitim
Shitim is located in Israel
Shitim
Shitim
Coordinates: 30°10′36″N 35°00′59″E / 30.17667°N 35.01639°E / 30.17667; 35.01639
Country Israel
DistrictSouthern
CouncilHevel Eilot
Founded1984
Population
 (2019)[1]
4

Shitim (Hebrew: שיטים) is a community settlement in southern Israel. Located in the Arabah valley, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hevel Eilot Regional Council. In 2019 it had a population of 4.[1]

History

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The village was established in 1984 as a Nahal settlement, with soldiers often living at the site following the end of a combat role and working in nearby kibbutzim. In the early 1990s, the nearby army base was taken over by a different battalion, which largely operated in the West Bank. This caused disruption in the day-to-day agricultural activities of the village and it was abandoned by the IDF in 1997, with the site given to kibbutz Ketura. Attempts to establish a civilian village at the site failed and the settlement was dismantled.

In 2002 a group of followers of Rajneesh founded a guesthouse on the site under the name 'Ashram BaMidbar' (Ashram in the Desert), with people working at the guesthouse re-establishing the village.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Population in the Localities 2019" (XLS). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 August 2020.