Otniel (village)
Encyclopedia
Otniel is a Jewish Orthodox
Israeli settlement
in the southern Judean hills, south of Hebron
in the West Bank
. It is under the jurisdiction of the Har Hebron Regional Council
. Approximately 110 families live in Otniel. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law
, but the Israeli government disputes this.
Otniel, named in honor of the first biblical judge Othniel Ben Kenaz, was founded in 1983. Otniel is south of Beit Hagai
and north of Shim'a
and the Palestinian
village of Samu'a.
A major feature of the village is the Hesder Yeshiva
, Yeshivat Otniel
, co-headed by the Rabbis Binyamin Kalmanzon and Re'em HaCohen, who also serves as the village's Rabbi. A new program has been opened in the yeshiva bringing students from places such as Australia, Poland and the US.
Otniel also has a barn, in an attempt to maintain a self-sustaining Jewish agricultural life in Southern Mount Hevron.
Four students from Yeshivat Otniel
were killed and ten wounded in a December 2002 terrorist attack. In another terror attack on the road leading to Otniel, one of the teachers in the yeshiva was shot and killed while driving.
On November 10, 2011, an Otniel resident was killed and two injured when Israel Defense Forces
soldiers fired on their speeding car when they suspected a possible terrorist attack. The car had been heading along Highway 60
towards the Cave of the Patriarchs
in the early morning. A guard in the settlement of Beit Hagai
had noticed a suspicious vehicle and notified personnel in the settlement's security room, who identified the vehicle as it turned eastward. A nearby IDF unit was then informed of a suspicious car heading its way. Two soldiers were setting up a makeshift roadblock when they saw the car approaching. The soldiers signalled it to stop with flashlights, and fired two warning shots into the air. The car raced past them at high speed, and according to an initial probe, the darkness made it difficult to see whether the car matched the description of the suspicious car. The car was also driving with its lights off, which made it more difficult for the driver to see the soldiers. A soldier then fired eight bullets into the car. Rabbi Dan Martzbach, 55, was killed. Mazal Ben-Ami was lightly injured, and Carmela Trablesi was moderately wounded. The shooting soldier was lightly injured when a passing Palestinian truck hit him as spoke with Carmela.
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...
Israeli settlement
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 southern Judean hills, south of Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
in the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
. It is under the jurisdiction of the Har Hebron Regional Council
Har Hebron Regional Council
The Har Hevron Regional Council is an Israeli regional council in the southern Judean Hills area of Mount Hebron, in the southern West Bank. The headquarters are located adjacent to Otniel. The council was established in 1983...
. Approximately 110 families live in Otniel. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law
International law and Israeli settlements
The international community considers the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories illegal under international law, but Israel maintains that they are consistent with international law because it does not agree that the Fourth Geneva Convention applies to the...
, but the Israeli government disputes this.
Otniel, named in honor of the first biblical judge Othniel Ben Kenaz, was founded in 1983. Otniel is south of Beit Hagai
Beit Hagai
Beit Hagai is an Israeli settlement located in the southern Hebron hills in the West Bank. The settlement population was 460 in 2004, according to a classified government document published by the Haaretz newspaper, and lies within the municipal jurisdiction of the Har Hebron Regional Council...
and north of Shim'a
Shim'a
Shim'a , also Yonadav , is a non-religious Jewish village and Israeli settlement in the southern Hebron Hills of the West Bank along the Green Line south of Livneh and Omarim. It is located on a hill 600 metres above sea level and within the municipal jurisdiction of the Har Hebron Regional Council...
and the Palestinian
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
village of Samu'a.
A major feature of the village is the Hesder Yeshiva
Hesder
Hesder is an Israeli yeshiva program which combines advanced Talmudic studies with military service in the Israel Defense Forces, usually within a Religious Zionist framework...
, Yeshivat Otniel
Yeshivat Otniel
Yeshivat Otniel is a hesder yeshiva located in Otniel, Israel. It is co-headed by the Rabbis Binyamin Kalmanzon and Re'em Ha'Cohen, who also serves as the town's rabbi....
, co-headed by the Rabbis Binyamin Kalmanzon and Re'em HaCohen, who also serves as the village's Rabbi. A new program has been opened in the yeshiva bringing students from places such as Australia, Poland and the US.
Otniel also has a barn, in an attempt to maintain a self-sustaining Jewish agricultural life in Southern Mount Hevron.
Four students from Yeshivat Otniel
Yeshivat Otniel
Yeshivat Otniel is a hesder yeshiva located in Otniel, Israel. It is co-headed by the Rabbis Binyamin Kalmanzon and Re'em Ha'Cohen, who also serves as the town's rabbi....
were killed and ten wounded in a December 2002 terrorist attack. In another terror attack on the road leading to Otniel, one of the teachers in the yeshiva was shot and killed while driving.
On November 10, 2011, an Otniel resident was killed and two injured when Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
soldiers fired on their speeding car when they suspected a possible terrorist attack. The car had been heading along Highway 60
Highway 60 (Israel)
Highway 60 is a north-south intercity road in Israel and the West Bank that stretches from Beersheba to Nazareth.-Route:The route is also known as the "Route of the Patriarchs" since it follows the path of the ancient highway that runs along the length of the central watershed, and which...
towards the Cave of the Patriarchs
Cave of the Patriarchs
The Cave of the Patriarchs or the Cave of Machpelah , is known by Muslims as the Sanctuary of Abraham or Ibrahimi Mosque ....
in the early morning. A guard in the settlement of Beit Hagai
Beit Hagai
Beit Hagai is an Israeli settlement located in the southern Hebron hills in the West Bank. The settlement population was 460 in 2004, according to a classified government document published by the Haaretz newspaper, and lies within the municipal jurisdiction of the Har Hebron Regional Council...
had noticed a suspicious vehicle and notified personnel in the settlement's security room, who identified the vehicle as it turned eastward. A nearby IDF unit was then informed of a suspicious car heading its way. Two soldiers were setting up a makeshift roadblock when they saw the car approaching. The soldiers signalled it to stop with flashlights, and fired two warning shots into the air. The car raced past them at high speed, and according to an initial probe, the darkness made it difficult to see whether the car matched the description of the suspicious car. The car was also driving with its lights off, which made it more difficult for the driver to see the soldiers. A soldier then fired eight bullets into the car. Rabbi Dan Martzbach, 55, was killed. Mazal Ben-Ami was lightly injured, and Carmela Trablesi was moderately wounded. The shooting soldier was lightly injured when a passing Palestinian truck hit him as spoke with Carmela.