Asa'el (), also known as Mitzpe Asa'el (), is an

Israeli settlement Israeli settlements, also called Israeli colonies, are the civilian communities built by Israel throughout the Israeli-occupied territories. They are populated by Israeli citizens, almost exclusively of Israeli Jews, Jewish identity or ethni ...

in the

West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...

. Located three kilometres south-east of Shim'a, it falls under the jurisdiction of Har Hevron Regional Council. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank, like Asa'el, illegal under

international law International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of Rule of law, rules, norms, Customary law, legal customs and standards that State (polity), states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generall ...

, but the Israeli government disputes this. Although built on what the Israeli government claims to be state lands, access roads to the settlement goes over private land owned by Palestinians.

History

The settlement was established in early 2002 as an outpost, and was named after Biblical

Asahel Asahel (, , Latin ''Asael'') was a military leader under King David and the youngest son of David's sister Zeruiah. Asahel thus was the nephew of David and the younger brother of David's general, Joab, Asahel is mentioned in Books of Samuel, 2 Sa ...

from the time of King

David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Dam ...

(). In 2008 it was announced that the

Yesha Council The Yesha Council (, ''Mo'etzet Yesha'') is an umbrella organization of municipal councils of Jewish settlements in the West Bank (and formerly in the Gaza Strip). The Hebrew acronym '' Yesha'' is created from Yehuda Shomron, Aza (Judea, Sama ...

was making preparations to evacuate the outpost, but the evacuation did not take place. The outpost continued to grow, with 60 new constructions registered between 2010 and 2020, and 12 new constructions in 2021. The outpost was officially recognized by the Israeli government in September 2023.

References

External links

Asa'el

Peace Now Peace Now ( ''Shalom Achshav'', ) is an Israeli liberal advocacy organization with the aim of promoting a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Early activism In an official document from 1982 Peace Now advocated for an und ...

{{Har Hevron Regional Council Israeli settlements in the West Bank Populated places established in 2002 2002 establishments in Palestine Israeli outposts