Uvda () is the name of a region in the southern
Negev
The Negev ( ; ) or Naqab (), is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The region's largest city and administrative capital is Beersheba (pop. ), in the north. At its southern end is the Gulf of Aqaba and the resort town, resort city ...
desert, directly north of
Eilat
Eilat ( , ; ; ) is Israel's southernmost city, with a population of , a busy port of Eilat, port and popular resort at the northern tip of the Red Sea, on what is known in Israel as the Gulf of Eilat and in Jordan as the Gulf of Aqaba. The c ...
.
The name derives from the Hebrew word ''uvda'' (meaning fact). The region was captured during
Operation Uvda
Operation Uvda (, ''Mivtza Uvda'') was an operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, from 5 March to 10 March 1949. It was the last campaign undertaken by the IDF during the war and its objective was to ...
in the
1948 Arab-Israeli War
Events January
* January 1
** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated.
** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...
when the
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...
entered the area with the stated aim of establishing '
facts on the ground
''Facts on the ground'' is a diplomatic and geopolitical term that means the situation in reality as opposed to in the abstract. The term was popularised in the 1970s in discussions of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict to refer to Israeli settle ...
', hence the name.
The Uvda Valley is known for the 7000-year-old
Leopard Temple archaeological site.
See also
*
Ovda Airbase
*
Ovda Airport
Ovda Airport was the former civilian part of the ''Ovda Israeli Air Force Base'' in the Uvda region of southern Israel, about north of Eilat. It was the country's second international airport. Ovda was originally built and opened as a milita ...
References
External links
:Prehistoric site and temple
Uvda open sanctuary Replica of the temple leopards
The Israel Museum
{{coord, 29, 56, 19, N, 34, 56, 13, E, source:hewiki_type:airport_region:IL, display=title
Eilat
Regions of Israel