Ariel (Israeli settlement): Difference between revisions

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			{{Short description\|Israeli settlement in the West Bank}}
	{{Infobox Israel municipality
			{{pp-30-500\|small=yes}}
	\|name=Ariel
			{{Infobox settlement
	\|image3=Coat of arms of Ariel.png
			\| name = Ariel
	\|imgsize3=100
			\| native_name = {{Hlist
	\|hebname={{Hebrew\|אֲרִיאֵל}}
			\| {{Lang\|he\|{{Script/Hebrew\|אֲרִיאֵל}}\|rtl=yes}}
	\|arname=اريئيل
			\| {{Lang\|ar\|أريئيل\|rtl=yes}}
	\|meaning=Lion of God
			}}
	\|founded=1978
			\| settlement_type = ] (from 1998)
	\|type=city
			\| translit_lang1 = Hebrew
	\|typefrom=1998
			\| translit_lang1_type1 = ]
	\|stdHeb=
			\| translit_lang1_info1 = ʔariˀel
	\|altOffSp=
			\| image_skyline = Ariel085.jpg
	\|altUnoSp=
			\| image_blank_emblem = Coat of arms of Ariel.svg
	\|district=js
			\| pushpin_map_alt =
	\|population=16,600
			\| pushpin_map = Israel shomron#West Bank
	\|popyear=2007
			\| pushpin_mapsize =
	\|area_dunam=14677
			\| pushpin_label_position =
	\|mayor=]
			\| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Ariel
			\| coordinates = {{coord\|32\|6\|22\|N\|35\|11\|16\|E\|region:IL\|display=inline,title}}
			\| subdivision_type1 = Region
			\| subdivision_name1 = ]
			\| subdivision_type2 = ]
			\| subdivision_name2 =
			]
			\| established_title = Founded
			\| established_date = 1978
			\| leader_title = Mayor
			\| leader_name = ]
			\| unit_pref = dunam
			\| area_total_dunam = {{formatnum:14677\|R}}
			\| population_footnotes = {{Israel populations\|reference}}
			\| population_total = {{Israel populations\|Ari'el}}
			\| population_as_of = {{Israel populations\|Year}}
			\| population_density_km2 = auto
			\| blank_name_sec1 = Name meaning
			\| blank_info_sec1 = Lion of God
	}}		}}
	]
	]
	]
	'''Ariel''' ({{lang-he-n\|אֲרִיאֵל}}; {{lang-ar\|اريئيل}}) is a ] and an ] in the ], in the ] region of ] near the ancient village of ]. Established in 1978, its population at the end of 2007 was 16,600,<ref name="cbs populations">{{Cite web\|url=http://www.cbs.gov.il/population/new_2009/table3.pdf\|format=PDF\|publisher=]\|title=Table 3 - Population of Localities Numbering Above 1,000 Residents and Other Rural Population\|date=2008-06-30\|accessdate=2008-10-03}}</ref> including 7,000 immigrants, who came to Israel after 1990.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www1.cbs.gov.il/shnaton57/st02_14.pdf\|format=PDF\|title=Population and Density Per Sq. Km in Localities Numbering Above 5,000 Residents\|publisher=]\|work=Statistical Abstract of Israel, 2006\|date=2005-12-31\|accessdate=2008-10-20}}</ref> It is the fifth largest Israeli community in the territories that Israel captured from ] of as a result of the ] in 1967. The ] gave the municipality of Ariel the status of a ] in 1998.

			'''Ariel''' ({{langx\|he\|אֲרִיאֵל}}; {{langx\|ar\|أريئيل}}) is an ] organized as a ] in the central ], part of the ], approximately {{convert\|20\|km\|mi}} east of the ] and {{convert\|34\|km\|mi}} west of the Jordan border. Ariel was first established in 1978 and its population was {{Israel populations\|Ari'el}} in {{Israel populations\|Year}}, composed of veteran and young Israelis, English-speaking immigrants, and immigrants from the ], with an additional influx of above 10,000 students from ].<ref name="cbs populations">{{cite web\| url= http://www.cbs.gov.il/population/new_2010/table3.pdf\| publisher= ]\|title=Table 3 – Population of Localities Numbering Above 2,000 Residents and Other Rural Population\|date=2010-06-30\|access-date=2010-10-30\| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101121034400/http://cbs.gov.il/population/new_2010/table3.pdf\| archive-date= 21 November 2010 \| url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="ArielMunicipality"> {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208013028/http://www.ariel.muni.il/?CategoryID=155 \|date=February 8, 2013 }} Official website</ref> It is the fourth largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank,<ref name="JP2010-01-29">{{cite news\|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=167225\|title=PM: Ariel is the 'capital of Samaria'\|last=Lazaroff\|first=Tovah\|date=2010-01-29\|work=The Jerusalem Post\|access-date=16 October 2010}}</ref> after ], ], and ].
	In Hebrew, Ariel (pronounced Ari'el), literally means 'Lion of God'. "Ari" (Lion) in Hebrew is also a synonym for bravery and courage and it is also the symbol of the ]. Ariel in the ] is one of the names for Jerusalem and the ] (Isaiah 29:1-8).

			The ] considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank ], but the Israeli government disputes this.<ref name="BBC_GC4">{{cite news \|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1682640.stm \|title=The Geneva Convention \|work=BBC News \|date=10 December 2009 \|access-date=27 November 2010 }}</ref>

			Ariel's jurisdiction spans {{convert\|14677\|dunam\|km2 sqmi\|lk=in}},<ref name="profile">{{cite web\|url=http://www.cbs.gov.il/publications/local_authorities2005/pdf/105_3570.pdf\|title=Local Authorities in Israel 2005, Publication #1295 – Municipality Profiles – Ariel\|publisher=]\|year=2005\|access-date=2008-10-03\|language=he}}</ref> and borders the Palestinian towns and villages ], ] and ]. According to ], within Ariel's municipal area there are several enclaves of privately owned Palestinian land, whose owners are not allowed access to them.<ref name="BtselemAriel">{{cite web\| title= Ariel settlement fact sheet\| orig-year=30 August 2010\| date=17 July 2012\| publisher=]\|access-date=15 March 2013\| url= http://www.btselem.org/settlements/20100830_facts_on_the_settlement_of_ariel}}</ref>

			==Etymology==
			Ariel (pronounced Ari'el), literally means 'Lion of God'. "Ari" (Lion) in Hebrew is also a synonym for bravery and courage and it is also the symbol of the ]. The city of Ariel is named after ].<ref> {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130828193300/http://www.ariel.muni.il/?CategoryID=174&ArticleID=270 \|date=August 28, 2013 }}</ref> Ariel in the ] is one of the names for ] and the ] (Isaiah 29:1–8).

	==History==		==History==
	At the beginning of 1978, a group of Israelis formed in order ~~find~~ a ~~location~~ in the hills of ~~Samaria~~ to ~~create~~ a new ~~residential~~ area. The leader of this group, ], chose the ~~spot~~ because of its strategic location on a possible Jordanian invasion route towards Israel's main population centre of Tel Aviv. In the spring of 1978, some of the group's men erected tents on the chosen hilltop, and in August 1978, a total of forty families came to live.		Ariel was founded in 1978 on land that was seized for military needs and on land that was declared state land, including cultivated farmland of Palestinian villages in the district and on rocky land the villagers used for grazing their flocks.<ref name="BtselemAriel"/> At the beginning of 1978, a group of Israelis formed in order to create a settlement in the hills of the northern part of the West Bank made a formal request to the government to be given land to build a new community and were given three options by the army; the area near the 'lone tree' which would later become ], the area which would later become ], and a hill near ] that was known to the local Arabs as 'Jabel Mawat', the hill of death, because of inhospitable terrain.<ref name="Madmon">{{cite book \| last=Madmon\| first=Yifat\| year=2008\| title=Ariel, sipura shel ir \| edition=1st \|trans-title=Ariel, story of a city\|page=20\|language=he}}</ref> The leader of this group, ], chose the latter because of its strategic location on a possible Jordanian invasion route towards Israel's main population centre of Tel Aviv. In the spring of 1978, some of the group's men erected tents on the chosen hilltop, and in August 1978, a total of forty families came to live in the settlement.{{Citation needed\|date=November 2010}}

	The original members of the group had gone through a screening process in order to put together a ~~proper quality~~ mix of skilled adults as well as young families that would be prepared psychologically to withstand starting a new settlement from scratch with little infrastructure and modern comforts. There were no paved roads or paths. Water was supplied periodically by a tanker truck. Electricity was provided by a generator since no electrical network existed in that area. Tents were replaced by ] concrete blocks which served as living quarters, schools, and an infirmary. On September 1, 1978 the school year was officially opened.		The original members of the group had gone through a screening process in order to put together a mix of skilled adults as well as young families that would be prepared psychologically to withstand starting a new settlement from scratch with little infrastructure and modern comforts. There were no paved roads or paths. Water was supplied periodically by a tanker truck. Electricity was provided by a generator since no electrical network existed in that area. Tents were replaced by ] concrete blocks which served as living quarters, schools, and an infirmary. On September 1, 1978, the school year was officially opened.{{Citation needed\|date=November 2010}}

			From 1978 to 1988, Ariel continued to develop, and established itself as the urban center for the nearby Israeli settlements. In 1980, the prefabricated homes were replaced with permanent housing. The College of Judea and Samaria, which would later become the Ariel University Center of Samaria, and eventually ], was founded in 1982. Three elementary schools, a community center, a sports hall, and a synagogue were built. In May 1982, Ariel was connected to the national power grid.
	As the community grew, a more heterogeneous mix of people joined the group including traditional Jews, as well as Orthodox Jews, though the city has kept its predominantly secular nature. The city now includes fourteen synagogues of various ethnic divisions of ].

			During the ] of Jews from ] that began in 1989 and continued throughout the 1990s, Ariel, which had a population of 8,000 in 1990, experienced a population boom. Unlike in Israel proper, apartments in Ariel were plentiful and cheap, which proved attractive to the immigrants.<ref> – ]. 9 April 1990</ref> Some 6,000 Soviet immigrants moved to Ariel, almost doubling its population.
	The city has several shopping centres, two different industrial zones (divided into light and heavy industry), a ], and sports clubs.

			In 2005, the residents of ], a former Israeli settlement in the Gaza Strip which had been ], found temporary housing in the dormitories of the Ariel University Center of Samaria. At the beginning of the academic year, about one-third chose to settle permanently in Ariel, while the rest moved to ]. In 2007, the city began receiving immigrants from English-speaking countries such as the ], ], ], and ] in significant numbers.
	Israel approved the construction of 27 new factories in Ariel, which should be complete in September 2009.<ref>{{cite news\|url=http://go.ariel.muni.il/ariel/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=179&Itemid=1\|title=Ariel's Industrial Park\|publisher=Ariel Municipality\|date=2008-07-20\|accessdate=2008-10-20}}</ref>

			Nachman, a central figure in the ] party, presided over Ariel from 1978 until his death in January 2013, at first as head of the local council and as mayor from 1985, when the settlement was officially recognized as a city.<ref>{{cite news\| title=Ron Nachman, 'the last of the secular settlers,' who couldn't convince the Israeli public\| author=Levinson, Chaim \| newspaper=Haaretz \| date= 19 January 2013\|access-date=15 March 2013\| url= http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/ron-nachman-the-last-of-the-secular-settlers-who-couldn-t-convince-the-israeli-public.premium-1.494930}}</ref> Both religious and secular Jews reside in Ariel. The city has sixteen synagogues.

			On 15 November 2022, three Israelis were murdered during a ] near Ariel.

	==Geography==		==Geography==
			]
	Ariel is situated approximately {{convert\|40\|km\|mi}} east of ], {{convert\|40\|km\|mi}} west of the ], and {{convert\|60\|km\|mi}} northwest of ]. It lies southwest of ]/], north of ] and southeast of ]. The city is connected to ] by the ] and Road 505, and to Jerusalem by ].
			]]]
			] Educational Center ''Yovaley-Ariel'']]
			]

			Ariel is situated between {{convert\|17\|km\|mi}} and {{convert\|22\|km\|mi}} east of the ],<ref name=Peacenow> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010223825/http://peacenow.org.il/eng/content/ariel-and-ariel-bloc \|date=2013-10-10 }}. Peacenow, May 2005</ref><ref> The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise</ref> and {{convert\|34\|km\|mi}} west of the ], ]'s western border. Ariel is adjacent to the ] town of ] and southwest of ]. It is approximately {{convert\|30\|km\|mi}} east of ], and {{convert\|42\|km\|mi}} east of Tel Aviv to which it is connected by the ] and {{convert\|60\|km\|mi}} northwest of ], to which it is connected by ].
	Ariel's jurisdiction spans {{convert\|14677\|dunam\|km2 sqmi\|lk=in}},<ref name="profile">{{Cite web\|url=http://www.cbs.gov.il/publications/local_authorities2005/pdf/105_3570.pdf\|format=PDF\|title=Local Authorities in Israel 2005, Publication #1295 - Municipality Profiles - Ariel\|publisher=]\|year=2005\|accessdate=2008-10-03}} {{he icon}}</ref> and borders the Palestinian towns and villages ], ] and ].

			Ariel's jurisdiction spans {{convert\|14677\|dunam\|km2 sqmi\|lk=in}},<ref name="profile"/> and borders the Palestinian towns and villages ], ] and ]. Ariel's municipal area contains several enclaves of privately owned Palestinian land, whose owners are not allowed access to them.<ref name="BtselemAriel"/> The central water pumping station in Salfit has been polluted several times by overflow from the wastewater in Ariel.<ref name="BtselemAriel"/>
	==Education==
	Ariel is home to the ], founded in 1982. Current enrollment is 9,500 students, consisting of both Jewish and Arab students. In 2005, the Israeli government voted to support upgrading the College to university status. The change of status was not immediate since the decision only allowed the college to apply for revision by the ] which must ultimately approve any change. University status is an issue of prestige, increased government funding, as well as the ability to open post-graduate studies (which are already offered at the college) and issue doctorate degrees. Formerly called the 'Academic College of Judea and Samaria', it changed its name in August 2007 in the interim period and anticipation of achieving the more prestigious 'university' status.

	==~~Twin cities~~==		==Economy==
			The city has several shopping centres and two industrial zones (divided into light and heavy industry), a ]. In July 2008, Israel approved the construction of 27 new factories, which were expected to be completed by September 2009.<ref>{{cite news\|url=http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=107652\|title=W. Bank city of Ariel gets OK for 27 new factories\|author=Lazaroff, Tovah \|work=The Jerusalem Post\|date=2008-07-14\|access-date=2010-01-18}}</ref>
	{{seealso\|Town twinning\|List of twin towns and sister cities in Israel}}

	*{{flagicon\|Costa Rica}} ]<ref name="yedtik">{{Cite news\|title=Gemini Sign\|author=Hodorov, Irit\|publisher=]\|work=Yediot Petah Tikva\|date=2008-09-26}}</ref>
			==Status under international law==
	*{{flagicon\|United States}} ], United States<ref name="yedtik" />
			Like all Israeli settlements in the ], Ariel is considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.<ref>Patience, Martin BBC, 31 March 2006</ref> A series of Israeli governments has insisted that Ariel be included within Israel's future borders under any future peace treaty.<ref name="kershner">{{cite news\|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/world/middleeast/10ariel.html?_r=1\|title=A West Bank Enclave Is on Edge\|last=Kershner\|first=Isabel\|date=2010-09-09\|work=New York Times\|access-date=16 October 2010<!--DASHBot-->}}</ref> The ] gave the municipality of Ariel the status of a ] in 1998. In January 2010, ] ], accompanied by leading figures in his governing coalition, declared Ariel the "capital of ]", and "an integral part of Israel".<ref name="JP2010-01-29"/> In December 2010, thirty-five MKs petitioned the government to annex Ariel to Israel.<ref> {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007071446/http://www.paltelegraph.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7654%3AKnesset-members-demand-annexation-of-Ariel-settlement&catid=59%3Awest-bank&Itemid=135 \|date=October 7, 2011 }}, ''The Palestine Telegraph'', 4 December 2010.</ref> Palestinian representatives have opposed the incorporation of Ariel into Israel in any future settlement, arguing that the Ariel 'finger' would interrupt the territorial integrity of a Palestinian state and includes a major ]. Ariel's future is thus not clear: "as well as an obstacle to an Israeli-Palestinian agreement, it could also serve as a crucial trade-off for negotiators hammering out a final deal."<ref name="kershner"/> ], the local subsidiary of the international fast food chain, turned down an offer to open a restaurant in Ariel in June 2013, citing its declared policy not to open any branches in West Bank settlements across the Green Line.<ref>{{cite news\|last=Efrati\|first=Ido\|title=McDonald's Israel refuses to open branch across Green Line\|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/mcdonald-s-israel-refuses-to-open-branch-across-green-line.premium-1.532233/\|access-date=27 June 2013\|newspaper=Haaretz\|date=June 26, 2013}}</ref>

			==Education and culture==
			Ariel is home to the ], founded in 1982 as the College of Judea and Samaria. In 2010, the university had a student population of 11,500, both ] and ].<ref></ref> In 2007, it changed its name to Ariel University Center of Samaria, a change that was officially recognized in 2010. In 2012, it received accreditation as a research university.<ref>, ]</ref>

			The state-funded ] opened on November 8, 2010, with a performance of ] by the ] company.<ref>{{cite news \|first=Chaim \|last=Levinson \|title=Major theaters raise curtain across Green Line \|newspaper=] \|date=25 August 2010 \|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/major-theaters-raise-curtain-across-green-line-1.310040}}</ref> These performances were ]ed by sixty Israeli actors, writers, and directors, including ], who refuse to perform in settlements. Prime Minister ], Culture Minister ] and the leader of the ] ] condemned the boycott and proposed cutting government funding those participating in it.<ref>{{cite news \|first=Dan \|last=Williams \|title=Israeli actors boycott theatres in settlements \|newspaper=Reuters AlertNet \|date=29 August 2010 \|url=http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE67S04H.htm}}</ref><ref>Macintyre, Donald. , '']'', 30 August 2010</ref> The boycott was supported by ], ] and ],<ref>Fyler, Boaz. , ''Ynet News" 30 August 2010</ref> It was opposed by ], who suggested that the boycott plays into the hands of right-wing extremists by linking art and politics.<ref>{{cite news \|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3982789,00.html \|title=Culture has no borders \|first=Amnon \|last=Shamosh \|date=November 11, 2010}}</ref> 150 U.S. actors supported the boycott.<ref> {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121220091537/http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/campaigns/making-history-support-israeli-artists-who-say-no-normalizing-settlements-4 \|date=2012-12-20 }}, ]</ref> However, five Israeli actors later withdrew from the boycott, indicating that they changed their mind or thought the letter they were signing called for a discussion on the issue rather than outright boycott.<ref>{{cite news \|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/139380 \|title=Five Actors Withdraw from Ariel Boycott \|first=Maayana \|last=Miskin \|date=August 29, 2010}}</ref>

			==West Bank barrier==
			The ] was originally planned to extend out from the Israeli border to Ariel. Under American political pressure, the "finger", as the extension of the fence to include Ariel is often called, was not built. Instead, Ariel has a security fence surrounding it on only three sides.<ref>Westervelt, Eric. , ''National Public Radio''</ref>

			==International relations==
			{{See also\|List of twin towns and sister cities in Israel}}

			===Twin towns/ Sister cities===
			Ariel is ] with:
			*{{flagicon\|CRC}} ]<ref name="Ariel">{{Cite news\|title=Gemini Sign\|author=Hodorov, Irit\|publisher=]\|work=Yediot Petah Tikva\|date=2008-09-26}}</ref>
			*{{flagicon\|USA}} ], ]<ref name="Ariel" /><ref name="Mobile">{{cite web\|title=Mobile's Sister Cities \|work=City of Mobile\|url=http://ncsmobile.org/sister_cities.php \|access-date=2013-07-22}}</ref>
			*{{flagicon\|MDA}} ], ]
			*{{flagicon\|ALB}} ], ]

	==References==		==References==
			{{Reflist\|colwidth=30em}}
	{{reflist}}

	==External links==		==External links==
			{{Wikivoyage\|Ariel}}
	* home page
			{{Commons category\|Ariel (city)}}
	* home page
			* Home page Hebrew
			* Home page English
			* Home page English
			* Home page Hebrew

	{{Judea and Samaria}}		{{Judea and Samaria}}
			{{Authority control}}

			{{DEFAULTSORT:Ariel (City)}}
	{{coord\|32\|6\|21.6\|N\|35\|11\|16.43\|E\|type:city\|display=title}}
			]

	]
	]		]
	]		]
			]

			]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]
	]

Latest revision as of 13:27, 22 October 2024

Israeli settlement in the West Bank

City in West Bank

Ariel אֲרִיאֵל‎ أريئيل
City (from 1998)
Hebrew transcription(s)
• ISO 259	ʔariˀel


ArielLocation of ArielShow map of the Northern West BankArielAriel (the West Bank)Show map of the West Bank
Coordinates: 32°6′22″N 35°11′16″E / 32.10611°N 35.18778°E / 32.10611; 35.18778
Region	West Bank
District	Judea and Samaria Area
Founded	1978
Government
• Mayor	Eliyahu Shaviro
Area
• Total	14,677 dunams (14.677 km or 5.667 sq mi)
Population
• Total	20,520
• Density	1,400/km (3,600/sq mi)
Name meaning	Lion of God

Ariel (Hebrew: אֲרִיאֵל; Arabic: أريئيل) is an Israeli settlement organized as a city council in the central West Bank, part of the Israeli-occupied territories, approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of the Green Line and 34 kilometres (21 mi) west of the Jordan border. Ariel was first established in 1978 and its population was 20,520 in 2022, composed of veteran and young Israelis, English-speaking immigrants, and immigrants from the former Soviet Union, with an additional influx of above 10,000 students from Ariel University. It is the fourth largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank, after Modi'in Illit, Beitar Illit, and Ma'ale Adumim.

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.

Ariel's jurisdiction spans 14,677 dunams (14.677 km; 5.667 sq mi), and borders the Palestinian towns and villages Salfit, Marda and Iskaka. According to B'Tselem, within Ariel's municipal area there are several enclaves of privately owned Palestinian land, whose owners are not allowed access to them.

Etymology

Ariel (pronounced Ari'el), literally means 'Lion of God'. "Ari" (Lion) in Hebrew is also a synonym for bravery and courage and it is also the symbol of the tribe of Judah. The city of Ariel is named after Jerusalem. Ariel in the Hebrew Bible is one of the names for Jerusalem and the Temple of Jerusalem (Isaiah 29:1–8).

History

Ariel was founded in 1978 on land that was seized for military needs and on land that was declared state land, including cultivated farmland of Palestinian villages in the district and on rocky land the villagers used for grazing their flocks. At the beginning of 1978, a group of Israelis formed in order to create a settlement in the hills of the northern part of the West Bank made a formal request to the government to be given land to build a new community and were given three options by the army; the area near the 'lone tree' which would later become Barkan, the area which would later become Kfar Tapuach, and a hill near Kifl Hares that was known to the local Arabs as 'Jabel Mawat', the hill of death, because of inhospitable terrain. The leader of this group, Ron Nachman, chose the latter because of its strategic location on a possible Jordanian invasion route towards Israel's main population centre of Tel Aviv. In the spring of 1978, some of the group's men erected tents on the chosen hilltop, and in August 1978, a total of forty families came to live in the settlement.

The original members of the group had gone through a screening process in order to put together a mix of skilled adults as well as young families that would be prepared psychologically to withstand starting a new settlement from scratch with little infrastructure and modern comforts. There were no paved roads or paths. Water was supplied periodically by a tanker truck. Electricity was provided by a generator since no electrical network existed in that area. Tents were replaced by prefabricated concrete blocks which served as living quarters, schools, and an infirmary. On September 1, 1978, the school year was officially opened.

From 1978 to 1988, Ariel continued to develop, and established itself as the urban center for the nearby Israeli settlements. In 1980, the prefabricated homes were replaced with permanent housing. The College of Judea and Samaria, which would later become the Ariel University Center of Samaria, and eventually Ariel University, was founded in 1982. Three elementary schools, a community center, a sports hall, and a synagogue were built. In May 1982, Ariel was connected to the national power grid.

During the mass immigration of Jews from Soviet Union that began in 1989 and continued throughout the 1990s, Ariel, which had a population of 8,000 in 1990, experienced a population boom. Unlike in Israel proper, apartments in Ariel were plentiful and cheap, which proved attractive to the immigrants. Some 6,000 Soviet immigrants moved to Ariel, almost doubling its population.

In 2005, the residents of Netzarim, a former Israeli settlement in the Gaza Strip which had been evacuated, found temporary housing in the dormitories of the Ariel University Center of Samaria. At the beginning of the academic year, about one-third chose to settle permanently in Ariel, while the rest moved to Yevul. In 2007, the city began receiving immigrants from English-speaking countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and South Africa in significant numbers.

Nachman, a central figure in the Likud party, presided over Ariel from 1978 until his death in January 2013, at first as head of the local council and as mayor from 1985, when the settlement was officially recognized as a city. Both religious and secular Jews reside in Ariel. The city has sixteen synagogues.

On 15 November 2022, three Israelis were murdered during a terror attack near Ariel.

Geography

Ariel is situated between 17 kilometres (11 mi) and 22 kilometres (14 mi) east of the Green Line, and 34 kilometres (21 mi) west of the Jordan River, Jordan's western border. Ariel is adjacent to the Palestinian Authority town of Salfit and southwest of Nablus. It is approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of Petah Tikva, and 42 kilometres (26 mi) east of Tel Aviv to which it is connected by the Highway 5 and 60 kilometres (37 mi) northwest of Jerusalem, to which it is connected by Highway 60.

Ariel's jurisdiction spans 14,677 dunams (14.677 km; 5.667 sq mi), and borders the Palestinian towns and villages Salfit, Marda and Iskaka. Ariel's municipal area contains several enclaves of privately owned Palestinian land, whose owners are not allowed access to them. The central water pumping station in Salfit has been polluted several times by overflow from the wastewater in Ariel.

Economy

The city has several shopping centres and two industrial zones (divided into light and heavy industry), a library. In July 2008, Israel approved the construction of 27 new factories, which were expected to be completed by September 2009.

Status under international law

Like all Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories, Ariel is considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. A series of Israeli governments has insisted that Ariel be included within Israel's future borders under any future peace treaty. The Israeli Ministry of the Interior gave the municipality of Ariel the status of a city council in 1998. In January 2010, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accompanied by leading figures in his governing coalition, declared Ariel the "capital of Samaria", and "an integral part of Israel". In December 2010, thirty-five MKs petitioned the government to annex Ariel to Israel. Palestinian representatives have opposed the incorporation of Ariel into Israel in any future settlement, arguing that the Ariel 'finger' would interrupt the territorial integrity of a Palestinian state and includes a major aquifer. Ariel's future is thus not clear: "as well as an obstacle to an Israeli-Palestinian agreement, it could also serve as a crucial trade-off for negotiators hammering out a final deal." McDonald's Israel, the local subsidiary of the international fast food chain, turned down an offer to open a restaurant in Ariel in June 2013, citing its declared policy not to open any branches in West Bank settlements across the Green Line.

Education and culture

Ariel is home to the Ariel University, founded in 1982 as the College of Judea and Samaria. In 2010, the university had a student population of 11,500, both Israeli and Palestinian. In 2007, it changed its name to Ariel University Center of Samaria, a change that was officially recognized in 2010. In 2012, it received accreditation as a research university.

The state-funded Ariel Center for the Performing Arts opened on November 8, 2010, with a performance of Piaf by the Beersheba Theater company. These performances were boycotted by sixty Israeli actors, writers, and directors, including Joshua Sobol, who refuse to perform in settlements. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Culture Minister Limor Livnat and the leader of the Kadima Party Tzipi Livni condemned the boycott and proposed cutting government funding those participating in it. The boycott was supported by Amos Oz, David Grossman and A. B. Yehoshua, It was opposed by Amnon Shamosh, who suggested that the boycott plays into the hands of right-wing extremists by linking art and politics. 150 U.S. actors supported the boycott. However, five Israeli actors later withdrew from the boycott, indicating that they changed their mind or thought the letter they were signing called for a discussion on the issue rather than outright boycott.

West Bank barrier

The Israeli West Bank barrier was originally planned to extend out from the Israeli border to Ariel. Under American political pressure, the "finger", as the extension of the fence to include Ariel is often called, was not built. Instead, Ariel has a security fence surrounding it on only three sides.

International relations

Twin towns/ Sister cities

Ariel is twinned with:

References

"Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
"Table 3 – Population of Localities Numbering Above 2,000 Residents and Other Rural Population" (PDF). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. 2010-06-30. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 November 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
Ariel municipality Archived February 8, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Official website
^ Lazaroff, Tovah (2010-01-29). "PM: Ariel is the 'capital of Samaria'". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
"The Geneva Convention". BBC News. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
^ "Local Authorities in Israel 2005, Publication #1295 – Municipality Profiles – Ariel" (PDF) (in Hebrew). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. 2005. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
^ "Ariel settlement fact sheet". B'tselem. 17 July 2012 . Retrieved 15 March 2013.
Ariel Founder details Ariel's history Archived August 28, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
Madmon, Yifat (2008). Ariel, sipura shel ir [Ariel, story of a city] (in Hebrew) (1st ed.). p. 20.
Soviet immigrants mark Passover – The Spokesman Review. 9 April 1990
Levinson, Chaim (19 January 2013). "Ron Nachman, 'the last of the secular settlers,' who couldn't convince the Israeli public". Haaretz. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
Ariel and Ariel Bloc Archived 2013-10-10 at the Wayback Machine. Peacenow, May 2005
Virtuel Israel Experience: Ariel The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise
Lazaroff, Tovah (2008-07-14). "W. Bank city of Ariel gets OK for 27 new factories". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2010-01-18.
Patience, Martin Kadima victory concerns settlers BBC, 31 March 2006
^ Kershner, Isabel (2010-09-09). "A West Bank Enclave Is on Edge". New York Times. Retrieved 16 October 2010.
"Knesset members demand annexation of Ariel settlement" Archived October 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, The Palestine Telegraph, 4 December 2010.
Efrati, Ido (June 26, 2013). "McDonald's Israel refuses to open branch across Green Line". Haaretz. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
500 Arabs begin studies in Ariel
The Israeli Settler Movement: Assessing and Explaining Social Movement Success, Sivan Hirsch-Hoefler, Cas Mudde, Cambridge University Press
Levinson, Chaim (25 August 2010). "Major theaters raise curtain across Green Line". Haaretz.
Williams, Dan (29 August 2010). "Israeli actors boycott theatres in settlements". Reuters AlertNet.
Macintyre, Donald. "Israeli actors refuse to take the stage in settlement theatre", The Independent, 30 August 2010
Fyler, Boaz. "Yehoshua, Oz, Grossman back boycott of Ariel", Ynet News" 30 August 2010
Shamosh, Amnon (November 11, 2010). "Culture has no borders".
Israeli Artists Condemn Settlements Archived 2012-12-20 at the Wayback Machine, Jewish Voice for Peace
Miskin, Maayana (August 29, 2010). "Five Actors Withdraw from Ariel Boycott".
Westervelt, Eric. "Israeli Settlement Seeks Protection", National Public Radio
^ Hodorov, Irit (2008-09-26). "Gemini Sign". Yediot Petah Tikva. Yedioth Ahronoth.
"Mobile's Sister Cities". City of Mobile. Retrieved 2013-07-22.

External links

Ariel municipality Home page Hebrew
Ariel municipality Home page English
Ariel University Home page English
Ariel Center For The Performing Arts Home page Hebrew

v t e Judea and Samaria Area
Cities	Ariel Beitar Illit Ma'ale Adumim Modi'in Illit
Regional committee	Yesha Council
Regional councils	Gush Etzion Har Hevron Mateh Binyamin Megilot Dead Sea Shomron Southern Jordan Valley (Bik'at HaYarden)
Local councils	Alfei Menashe Beit Aryeh-Ofarim Beit El Efrat Elkana Giv'at Ze'ev Har Adar Immanuel Karnei Shomron Kedumim Kiryat Arba Ma'ale Efrayim Oranit
See also	Israeli occupation of the West Bank Enclave law Area C COGAT Israeli Civil Administration IDF Central Command Israeli settlement List Population statistics Seam Zone Jerusalem District

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