Sde Boaz

Sde Boaz
Sde Boaz
Coordinates: 31°41′35″N 35°08′52″E / 31.69306°N 35.14778°ECoordinates: 31°41′35″N 35°08′52″E / 31.69306°N 35.14778°E
Council Gush Etzion
Region Gush Etzion
Founded 2002
Founded by Students and soldiers

Sde Boaz (Hebrew: שדה בועז‎, lit. Boaz's Field) is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located on a hill above Neve Daniel, it falls under the jurisdiction of Gush Etzion Regional Council.

In its charter, Sde Boaz proclaims its desire to live in peace with its Arab neighbors and eschew violence. It is an environmentally friendly agricultural community that accepts both religious and non-religious Jews.[1]

History

The settlement was established in 2002 by Hananel Shear-Yashuv, who claimed the land by moving a shipping container to the top of the hill and moving into it.[2] It is named after Boaz from the Book of Ruth.

In 2006 Sde Boaz was the site of a massive protest against the court-ordered Israeli Defense Force (IDF) destruction of illegal Israeli construction. The IDF managed to destroy a small house and a stable as the court had ordered, but hundreds of Israeli protesters prevented the soldiers from destroying the foundation of a house under construction.[1]

By 2008, some residents of Sde Boaz were being trained by Mishmeret Yesha, a non-profit organization that teaches settlers counterterrorism techniques and the use of guns so that they can form "rapid response teams." The IDF supplies settlers who've received the training with M16 rifles and ammunition.[3]

Demographics

Most of the residents are professionals who commute to work. Apart from communal agriculture projects, some families engage in private organic farming, raising chickpeas, cauliflower, tomatoes, watermelons, lettuce, grapes, mulberries and olives. Experimental crops include tomatillos, North American pumpkins and sweet peas.[4]

Status under international law

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.[5] Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has called outposts like Sde Boaz a "disgrace." On taking office in 2006, Olmert began the destruction of illegal outposts in order to comply with the terms of the Road map for peace and by 2008 had agreed to dismantle Sde Boaz among these.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ezra HaLevi; Hillel Fendel (January 11, 2006). "IDF Destroys House in Gush Etzion ´Settlement Bloc´". Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dion Nissenbaum (March 20, 2008). "Sde Boaz residents live in defiance of ‘road map' at illegal West Bank outpost". McClatchy Washington Bureau. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  3. ↑ Matthew Wagner (April 4, 2008). "Jews with guns". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Sde Boaz: History". sdeboaz.com. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  5. ↑ "The Geneva Convention". BBC News. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2010.