Shvut Rachel

Panorama of Shvut Rachel as seen from Shilo

Shvut Rachel (Hebrew: ) is an Israeli settlement

and a city in the West Bank, located 45 kilometers (30
mi) north of Jerusalem.[1] Shvut Rachel is located in the
Shiloh area in Binyamin. Nearby Israeli settlements in-
clude Shilo, Giv'at Har'el, Esh Kodesh, Keeda, and Adei
Ad. The village, administrated by the Matte Binyamin
Regional Council, has a population of 100 families. The
international community considers Israeli settlements in
the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Is-
raeli government disputes this.[2] The Sasson Report in
2005 noted that the settlement extends over Palestinian
land, part of which is owned by Fawzi Haj Ibrahim Mo-
hammad from Jalud, turned over to the settlement after
the Israeli authorities declared it state land.[3]
1 History
The village was founded in November 1991[4] in mem-
ory of the victims of a terrorist attack on a civilian bus.
Rachela Druk of Shilo, a mother of 7, and Yitzhak Rofe,
the bus driver - who were on their way to a demonstra-
tion in Tel Aviv. On the night of the funerals, a group of
students from the yeshiva in Shilo as well as two young
couples, including a pregnant woman who gave birth a
week later, established Shvut Rachel. The settlers moved
on to the land without government permission.[5]
In February 2012 the Israeli government approved the
construction of new housing units in Shvut Rachel. This
action was condemned by the High Representative of
the Union for Foreign Aairs and Security Policy of the
European Union, Catherine Ashton.[6]
2 Legal status
Like all Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied terri-
tories, Shvut Rachel is considered illegal under interna-
tional law, though Israel disputes this. The international
community considers Israeli settlements to violate the
Homes in Shvut Rachel
Fourth Geneva Convention's prohibition on the transfer
of an occupying powers civilian population into occupied
territory. Israel disputes that the Fourth Geneva Con-
vention applies to the Palestinian territories as they had
not been legally held by a sovereign prior to Israel tak-
ing control of them.[2] This view has been rejected by the
International Court of Justice and the International Com-
mittee of the Red Cross.[7]
Israel itself dierentiates between legal and illegal
settlements. Shvut Rachel was illegal by Israeli stan-
dards until February 2012. According to Peace Now, the
Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories
legalized the outpost by redesignating it as a neighbor-
hood of Shilo.[8]
3 Midreshet Binat
Binat is a midrasha located in Shvut Rachel. Headed by
Rabbi Ronen Tamir, it was founded in 2000 as an addi-
tional branch of the nearby yeshiva in Shilo. It includes
a regular seminary program, a one-month program in
September for college students, and a joint program with
Beit Vegan Teachers College. It is associated with the
Talpiot College of Education.
4 See also
Yaakov Teitel

1
2 6 EXTERNAL LINKS

5 References
[1] Aaron J. Klein (November 2, 2009). Israeli Police: U.S.-
Born Settler Was a Terrorist. Retrieved August 21, 2012.

[2] The Geneva Convention. BBC News. 10 December

2009. Retrieved 27 November 2010.

[3] Naomi Zevelo,'Of Olives, Politics and Palestinians:One

Mans Harvest Is Anothers Freedom Struggle,' The For-
ward 16 November 2014.

[4] Jerusalem Post: US joins PA, UN in slamming outpost

plans. February 23, 2012.

[5] Karin Laub (March 1, 2012). Israel legalizes unsanc-

tioned settler enclave. Associated Press. Retrieved Au-
gust 21, 2012.

[6] Statement by the Spokesperson of the EU High Rep-

resentative Catherine Ashton on Israeli Settlement Ap-
provals of 22 February. Targeted News Service. Febru-
ary 23, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.

[7] Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the

Occupied Palestinian Territory International Court of Jus-
tice, 9 July 2004. pp. 44-45

[8] Watchdog says Israel 'legalises another settler outpost.

Agence France-Presse. July 16, 2012. Retrieved August
21, 2012.

6 External links
Shvut Rachel

Shvut Rachel on Matte Binyamin communities page

Midrasha Homepage

Coordinates: 3203N 3518E / 32.050N 35.300E

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7 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1 Text
Shvut Rachel Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shvut_Rachel?oldid=781873622 Contributors: Fintor, Yamamoto Ichiro, Number 57,
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