Yitav

Yitav
יִיטַ"ב
Yitav is located in the Central West Bank
Yitav
Yitav
Coordinates: 31°56′50″N 35°25′23″E / 31.94722°N 35.42306°E / 31.94722; 35.42306
DistrictJudea and Samaria Area
CouncilBik'at HaYarden
RegionWest Bank
AffiliationKibbutz Movement
Founded1970
Founded byNahal
Population
 (2023)[1]
199
Entrance to Yitav

Yitav (Hebrew: יִיטַ"ב, an abbreviation of Yad Yitzhak Tabenkin) is an Israeli settlement and moshav shitufi in the southern Jordan Valley of the West Bank.[2] Located just north of Jericho and west of the Palestinian village of al-Auja, it falls under the jurisdiction of Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council.[2] In 2023 it had a population of 199.

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.[3]

History

According to ARIJ, Israel confiscated 499 dunams of land from the Palestinian village of Al-Auja in order to construct Yitav.[4]

Niran was established as a Nahal settlement in 1970, Yitav was recognised by the state in 1977, and began operating as a kibbutz.[2] It was named a memorial (Hebrew: yad) to Yitzhak Tabenkin, one of the leaders of the Israeli kibbutz movement. It subsequently reorganized into a moshav shitufi (though remaining within the Kibbutz Movement), whose members today are immigrants from the former Soviet Union (34 families).

Nature

Subtropical agriculture is the main economic activity in Yitav (dates, bananas, vegetables), although some members have outside jobs in the surrounding area or in Jerusalem.

Yitav Nature Reserve located 4 km west of Yitav covers the canyon of Nahal Yitav (Wadi al-Auja) with its springs.

References

  1. ^ "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "ייטב". Archived from the original on 2024-01-23. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  3. ^ "The Geneva Convention". BBC News. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  4. ^ Al 'Auja Town Profile p. 19, ARIJ
  • Yitav on Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council site (in Hebrew).