Mitzpe Hagit () is an

Israeli outpost In Israeli law, an outpost (, ''Ma'ahaz'' lit. "a handhold") is an unauthorized or illegal Israeli settlement within the West Bank, constructed without the required authorization from the Israeli government in contravention of Israeli statutes ...

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 near the

settlement Settlement may refer to: *Human settlement, a community where people live *Settlement (structural), downward movement of a structure's foundation *Settlement (finance), where securities are delivered against payment of money *Settlement (litigatio ...

of Kfar Adumim, it falls under the jurisdiction of the

Mateh Binyamin Regional Council Mateh Binyamin Regional Council (, ''Mo'atza Azorit Mateh Binyamin,'' Lit. Council for the Region of the Tribe of Benjamin) is a Regional Councils in Israel, regional council Local government in Israel, governing 47 Israeli settlements and Israe ...

. It is home to around 25 families. The outpost was established in 1999 by families from Kfar Adumim, and was named after Hagit Zavitsky, a settler from Kfar Adumim who was killed in

Wadi Qelt Wadi Qelt (; Qelt is also spelled Qilt and Kelt, sometimes with the Arabic article, el- or al-), in Hebrew Nahal Prat (), formerly Naḥal Faran (Pharan brook), is a valley, riverine gulch or stream ( ', " wadi"; , "nahal") in the West Bank, o ...

in 1997. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.

History

Mitzpe Hagit was founded in early 1999. It began with only two wooden caravans on a hill from Kfar Adumim. On October 12, 1999, Israeli Prime Minister

Ehud Barak Ehud Barak ( ; born Ehud Brog; 12 February 1942) is an Israeli former general and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Israel, prime minister from 1999 to 2001. He was leader of the Israeli Labor Party, Labor Party between 1997 and 20 ...

announced that Mitzpe Hagit was one of 15 outposts in the

that he planned to have dismantled, on the recommendation of the Israeli Defense Ministry. Barak gave the residents 14 hours to appeal. In November 1999, Pinhas Wallerstein, head of the

, said that residents of Mitzpe Hagit would voluntarily leave the site until the outpost was officially authorized by the Israeli government. By the end of December 1999 Mitzpe Hagit had been removed.

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 ...

issued a report claiming that the Israeli government had approved new caravans there and in other dismantled outposts. The organization stated that this "testified to the continuation of under-the-table doings in everything linked to building in the settlements."

Efraim Sneh Ephraim Sneh (, born 19 September 1944) is an Israeli politician, physician, and a retired brigadier general in the Israel Defense Forces. He was a member of the Knesset for the Labor Party between 1992 and 2008 and served in several ministeri ...

, Deputy Defense Minister at the time, said that his office was not planning to approve any building permits and that " evehErez

Neveh Erez Neveh Erez (), also known as Mitzpe Erez (), is an Israeli outpost in the West Bank. Located near Ma'ale Mikhmas, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. It is home to around eight families. Israeli outposts are ...

and Hagit were removed; they can submit plans to build but it doesn't mean anything. Therefore the movement shouldn't confuse the public." By October 2000 settlers had returned to Mitzpe Hagit. There were again two caravans and the population was 8 adults and 4 children. Shimon and Chaya Ben Dor, who had been among the original founders, claimed that their return had the approval of Ehud Barak. Israeli officials, though, were unsure if this was true.

References

{{Mateh Binyamin Regional Council Israeli settlements in the West Bank Populated places established in 1999 Mateh Binyamin Regional Council 1999 establishments in Palestine Israeli outposts he:מאחזים#מצפה חגית