Migdal Oz
| Migdal Oz מִגְדַּל עֹז, מגדל עוז | |
|---|---|
  Migdal Oz | |
| Coordinates: 31°38′26.51″N 35°8′38.04″E / 31.6406972°N 35.1439000°ECoordinates: 31°38′26.51″N 35°8′38.04″E / 31.6406972°N 35.1439000°E | |
| Region | West Bank |
| Affiliation | Religious Kibbutz Movement |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Population (2011) | 435 |
| Website | http://www.migdaloz.co.il/ |
Migdal Oz (Hebrew: מִגְדַּל עֹז, lit. Tower of Strength) is an Israeli settlement and an income-sharing community kibbutz in the historic Etzion bloc within the jurisdiction of the Gush Etzion Regional Council in the West Bank, established in 1977. It is located 7.4 km from the Green Line west of the Separation Barrier. In 2011, Migdal Oz had a population of 435.
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.[1]
Migdal Oz was established on the site of Migdal Eder, a Jewish village destroyed 50 years previously early in the course of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The name is taken from a Biblical phrase [2] describing God, written in Psalm 61:4 and Proverbs 18:10.
Migdal Oz is a member of the religiously observant Religious Kibbutz Movement, and is home to approximately 430 residents. Its main agricultural pursuits include three turkey coops with 16,000 birds apiece, a dairy housing 260 cows that is among the largest in the country, and fruit orchards. Along with neighbouring Gush Etzion, Rosh Tzurim, and Kfar Etzion, Migdal Oz jointly farms six square kilometers[citation needed] of olive groves near Kiryat Malakhi and Lakhish in the shfelah.
Migdal Oz is also home to some high tech and light industry. The eponymous Migdal Oz seminary, an advanced women's yeshiva, was opened in 1997.
In January 2013, the Israeli Defense Forces arrested a Palestinian who admitted to firing a gun in the direction of a security post at the entrance of Migdal Oz, not hurting anyone.[3]
References
- ↑ "The Geneva Convention". BBC News. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
- ↑ Bitan, Hanna: 1948-1998: Fifty Years of 'Hityashvut': Atlas of Names of Settlements in Israel, Jerusalem 1999, Carta, p.37 ,ISBN 965-220-423-4 (Hebrew)
- ↑ Yoel Goldman (January 14, 2013). "IDF arrests Palestinian who fired at kibbutz". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
External links
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