Shitim
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]
Shitim
שיטים شيتيم | |
|---|---|
  Shitim  Shitim | |
| Coordinates: 30°10′36″N 35°00′59″E | |
| Country |  Israel |
| District | Southern |
| Council | Hevel Eilot |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Population (2019)[1] | 4 |
History
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.
However, 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
- "Population in the Localities 2019" (XLS). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 August 2020.