Jewish Families Secretly Settle in Jericho, Establishing New Presence
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
Jewish families have secretly settled in eight homes in Jericho, Area C, in an operation led by the Nahala movement. The move marks a return to the city for Israelis for the first time since the Oslo Accords. The chairman of Nahala described the operation as inspired by the 1968 Hebron settlement and believes it could encourage further Jewish presence and Arab emigration. The Palestinian Authority has reportedly arrested individuals involved in the property sales, and the IDF criticized the lack of prior coordination.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Eight Jewish families have settled in Jericho, Area C, in a secret operation by the Nahala movement.
- The move is the first Jewish settlement in Jericho since the Oslo Accords were signed.
- Nahala Chairman Tzvi Elimelech Shereb compared the operation to the 1968 Hebron settlement.
- The Palestinian Authority has reportedly arrested real estate agents involved in the sales.
- The IDF criticized the lack of prior coordination for the settlement operation.
Eight homes in Area C on the outskirts of Jericho were settled last week by Jewish families, a move orchestrated by the Nahala movement with the support of the Benjamin Regional Council. The homes, located in the same neighborhood and purchased by Nahala, are situated a short walk from each other and are adorned with Israeli flags and biblical names. The operation, kept secret until the families moved in, aimed to re-establish a Jewish presence in Jericho, a city abandoned by Israelis following the Oslo Accords. Residents described a festive atmosphere, with dozens of visitors offering support and children playing as if they had always lived there.
Tzvi Elimelech Shereb, Chairman of the Nahala movement and a new resident of Jericho, likened the operation to the first settlers in Hebron in 1968. He stated that the inspiration came from the success of purchasing homes in Hebron, and that local Arab contacts indicated Jericho was ready for such a move. Shereb explained that the process involved identifying sellers, verifying their willingness to sell to Jews, and then quickly acquiring the properties before the Palestinian Authority could intervene. He believes that if Israel established a fund to assist Arabs wishing to sell and leave, a significant portion of the West Bank's Arab population would emigrate.
The initiative faced logistical challenges, particularly regarding access roads, with plans to improve the route from Mizpe Jericho. Currently, families are participating in temporary "reserve duty" stays, while Nahala seeks permanent residents. Shereb noted that the operation was not coordinated in advance with the IDF, which expressed criticism over the lack of coordination. The Palestinian Authority has reportedly arrested two real estate agents suspected of facilitating the sale of land to Jews, which is illegal under Palestinian law.
Shereb expressed optimism about future settlement efforts, drawing parallels to the return to Hebron and hoping for a similar return to Gaza. He credited changes in the outgoing government and the Civil Administration for enabling such moves, restoring authorities previously limited by legal advisors. These changes, he believes, are fostering an atmosphere conducive to both Arab emigration and Jewish land acquisition. The acquired properties are in Area C, under Israeli control, and the transactions adhere to Israeli law. Nahala is also working on establishing a new settlement called 'Armonot' nearby, which will further consolidate the Jewish presence in the region.
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