| Revision as of 10:35, 13 October 2009 view sourceNeoRetro (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users1,139 edits Its clearly states "their land wich has been stolen to build the illigal settlement of Modi'in Illit. " and "this is only one village thats had its land sezed, stolen, confiscated by the Israeli's.← Previous edit | Revision as of 15:09, 13 October 2009 view source Untwirl (talk | contribs)1,493 edits →History: spNext edit → | ||
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| Kiryat Sefer is mentioned in the ], allegedly destroyed by the ] in the first century, rebuilt, and destroyed again in the second century in the ].<ref name=Fendel/> The remains of the village were the focus of an archeological excavation during the 1990s, which have been preserved within the area of the modern city.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} The barrier surrounding the city devides the nearby village of Ben'in. Today's homes were completed in 1994, and the local council of Modi'in Illit was given city status on March 7, 2008.<ref name="Fendel">{{cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125534|title=New Religious City in Israel: Modiin Illit|author=Fendel, Hillel|publisher=]|date=March 11, 2008|accessdate=2009-08-18}}</ref> | Kiryat Sefer is mentioned in the ], allegedly destroyed by the ] in the first century, rebuilt, and destroyed again in the second century in the ].<ref name=Fendel/> The remains of the village were the focus of an archeological excavation during the 1990s, which have been preserved within the area of the modern city.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} The barrier surrounding the city devides the nearby village of Ben'in. Today's homes were completed in 1994, and the local council of Modi'in Illit was given city status on March 7, 2008.<ref name="Fendel">{{cite web|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125534|title=New Religious City in Israel: Modiin Illit|author=Fendel, Hillel|publisher=]|date=March 11, 2008|accessdate=2009-08-18}}</ref> | ||
| In 2009 a reporter covering the weekly protest of the Palestinian villagers against the city of Modi'in Illit, |
In 2009 a reporter covering the weekly protest of the Palestinian villagers against the city of Modi'in Illit, which was built on confiscated Palestinian land, was attacked by Israeli soldiers while on air.<ref> Israeli soldiers fire on Al Jazeera correspondent - 04 Sep 09 (Al Jazeerah English, 04 Sep 09)</ref><ref>http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1112501.html</ref> | ||
| ==Geography and climate== | ==Geography and climate== | ||
Revision as of 15:09, 13 October 2009
Template:Infobox Israel municipality Modi'in Illit (Template:Lang-he-n, lit. "Upper Modi'in") is a Haredi (Ultra-Orthodox Jewish) Israeli settlement in the West Bank, midway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv that was granted city status by the Israeli government in 2008. It is located 6km NE of Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut. It is often referred to as Kiryat Sefer (lit. "Book Town"), the name of its first neighborhood, established in 1994. As of December 2008, it had a total population of about 42,000, making it the largest Jewish community in the area. Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories are widely regarded as illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.
History
Kiryat Sefer is mentioned in the Book of Judges, allegedly destroyed by the Romans in the first century, rebuilt, and destroyed again in the second century in the Bar Kokhba revolt. The remains of the village were the focus of an archeological excavation during the 1990s, which have been preserved within the area of the modern city. The barrier surrounding the city devides the nearby village of Ben'in. Today's homes were completed in 1994, and the local council of Modi'in Illit was given city status on March 7, 2008.
In 2009 a reporter covering the weekly protest of the Palestinian villagers against the city of Modi'in Illit, which was built on confiscated Palestinian land, was attacked by Israeli soldiers while on air.
Geography and climate
Situated north of Modi'in, Modi'in Illit lies 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) from the 1967 Green Line, and 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the 443 highway. Located in the foothills of the Judean Mountains 286 meters (938 feet) above sea level, Modi'in Illit has mild winters and hot, dry summers with temperatures averaging 32°C (88°F) during the day. Modi'in Illit's immediate neighbors are moshav Matityahu and Hashmonaim.
Kiryat Sefer, the largest neighborhood, was established in 1994. In keeping with its name, "Book Town", each of Kiryat Sefer's streets is named after a landmark sefer (book) written by Gedolei Yisrael. These include: Chofetz Chaim, Noda BiYehuda, Meshech Chochma, Avnei Nezer and Sdei Chemed. The second-largest neighborhood is Achuzat Brachfeld (Brachfeld Estates), home to a branch of the famous Mir Yeshiva.
Demographics
According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), as of 2008, the city had a total population of about 42,000, making it the largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank. The city had an annual growth rate of 10 percent in 2008, due to new home construction and natural population growth. An estimated 80 percent of the population is under age 30. There are many immigrants, mostly from England, France, Switzerland and the United States. The entire population of Modi'in Illit are observant Jews. Most residents are Ashkenazi Jews in the Lithuanian tradition, but there are also Sephardi and Hasidic Jews.
| Age | 0 - 4 | 5 - 9 | 10 - 14 | 15 - 19 | 20 - 29 | 30 - 44 | 45 - 59 | 60 - 64 | 65 - 74 | 75+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 28.8 | 19.4 | 8.6 | 4.8 | 19.4 | 14 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Source: Israel Central Bureau of Statistics | ||||||||||
Education
Modi'in Illit has 30 elementary schools and 20 secondary schools (seminaries and yeshivas). The city is home to many commercial enterprises. Because of its sizable English-speaking immigrant population, it has become a center for high-quality outsourcing by American companies. There are approximately 80 synagogues. A significant number of men study the Torah full time.
Rabbinate
The Chief Rabbi of Modi'in Illit is Meir Kessler.
Local politics
Yaakov Gutterman, a rabbi, is the town's mayor. The first head of council of Modi'in Illit was Yosef Schwinger, appointed by the Ministry of the Interior. Yaakov Gutterman replaced him in 2002, and has been reinstated twice when he ran for election uncontested.
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Legal status of the settlement
Modi'in Illit is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories are widely regarded as illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. Israel argues that the international conventions relating to occupied land do not apply to the Palestinian territories because they were not under the legitimate sovereignty of any state in the first place.
Modi'in Illit received city status in 2008, by Aluf Gadi Shamni. The Israeli NGO B'Tselem appealed the decision to the Ministry of Interior. Btselem claimed that the upgrading of Modi'in Illit's status to that of a municipality was of concern because the land on which Mod'in Illit was built was declared state land through a manipulative application of Ottoman Law, resulting in the confiscation of lands belonging to neighbouring Palestinian villages. B'Tselem also stated that the upgraded status would lead to an increase of the settler population of Modi'in Illit, and thus the change in status would be illegal. For these reasons, B'Tselem expressed "vehement opposition" to the change of status. In connection with separate allegations that the city has allowed illegal construction to take place, the Israel Defence Forces told Israel's Interior Ministry in May 2008 that Modi'in Illit was "in a state of lawlessness."
References
- ^ "Table 3 - Population of Localities Numbering Above 1,000 Residents and Other Rural Population" (PDF). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
- Bronner, Ethan and Kershner, Isabel. Unsettled; In West Bank Settlements, Sign of Hope for a Deal, NY Times, July 26, 2009.
- Cook, 2008, p. 92.
- ^ Asser, Martin. Obstacles to peace: Borders and settlements, BBC News, May 25, 2007.
- ^ Fendel, Hillel (March 11, 2008). "New Religious City in Israel: Modiin Illit". Arutz 7. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
- Israeli soldiers fire on Al Jazeera correspondent - 04 Sep 09 (Al Jazeerah English, 04 Sep 09)
- http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1112501.html
- Lazaroff, Tovah (January 10, 2007). "Report: 12,400 New Settlers in 2006". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
- ^ "Local Authorities in Israel 2007, Publication #1358 - Municipality Profiles - Modi'in Illit" (PDF). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 2009-08-15. Template:He icon
- The Geneva Convention, BBC News, 24 August, 2004.
- B'Tselem's position on turning Modi'in Illit into a municipality, B'Tselem - The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, November 4, 2005.
- Eldar, Akiva. Panel: Ultra-Orthodox settlement should be city, despite illegal construction , Haaretz, June 5, 2008.
Biliography
- Jonathan Cook (2008). Disappearing Palestine: Israel's Experiments in Human Despair (Illustrated ed.). Zed Books. ISBN 1848130317, 9781848130319.
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