Givat Asaf Marks 25 Years From Protest Tent to Established West Bank Community

Givat Asaf, a community in the Binyamin region of the West Bank, celebrated its 25th anniversary this week with hundreds of residents, founders, family members, and guests attending the event. The settlement was founded in 2001 in memory of Asaf Hershkowitz, who was killed in a terror attack near the junction just months after his father was also murdered. Initially established as a protest tent by activists from the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva under Rabbi Avraham Shapira's leadership, the first families later moved in and began developing the community.

Throughout the evening, participants reflected on the settlement's journey from its early days to becoming a regulated and growing community. Givat Asaf has faced numerous legal and political challenges, including attempts to evacuate it and ongoing security threats. Notably, in 2018, two soldiers from the Kfir Brigade, Staff Sergeant Yuval Mor Yosef and Sergeant Yosef Cohen, were killed in a shooting attack at the Givat Asaf junction, and in 2024, Staff Sergeant Geri Gideon Hangael was killed in a vehicular attack.

After more than two decades of struggle, the Israeli Security Cabinet officially approved the settlement's regulation last year. Today, over 40 families live in Givat Asaf, with continued expansion and new families moving in. Israel Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, emphasized the settlement's transformation from a doubtful existence to an established community integral to the settlement enterprise in Israel. He highlighted the current historic period for settlement in Judea and Samaria, focusing on legalizing existing communities, establishing new ones, and investing in infrastructure and security to build the region's future.

Gantz praised the residents for their faith, determination, and perseverance, stating that these qualities are essential to continuing to strengthen Givat Asaf and advance settlement across the area. The event also featured Geula Hershkowitz, Asaf's mother, who lit the "Settlement Torch" in tribute to her son and the community's resilience.