Ariel (Israeli settlement)
Ariel (אריאל) is an Israeli settlement located in the Northern 'West Bank' also referred to in the bible as Samaria. Founded in 1978, its population as of 2004 is 16,414[1], including 7,000 immigrants from the former Soviet Union[2]. It is the fifth largest settlement in the territories that Israel gained control of as a result of the Six Day War in 1967.
Ariel is situated approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Tel Aviv, 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of the Jordan River, and 60 kilometers (38 miles) northwest of Jerusalem.
History
In Hebrew, Ariel (pronounced Ari'el), literally means 'God's lion'. In the Bible, Ariel points out the uppermost part of the altar for burnt offerings (Ezekiel 43:13) and is also used by Isaiah as a synonym for Jerusalem (Isaiah 29:1-8). Some would say that the city is named after Ariel Sharon who was, at the time, a great proponent of Israeli settlements.
At the beginning of 1978, a group of secular Israelis formed in order find a location in the hills of Samaria to create a new residential area. The leader of this group, Ron Nachman, chose the spot because of its strategic location on a possible Jordanian invasion route towards Israel's main population centre of Tel Aviv. In the spring of 1978, some of the group's men erected tents on the chosen hilltop, and in August 1978, a total of forty families came to live. When this first group of settlers, called 'Garin Tel Aviv', erected their new homes on the barren hilltop, the Palestinians from nearby villages were skeptical that anything would come of the idea since nothing had ever succeeded in growing on it and they called that area the 'mountain of death'[citation needed].
The original members of the group had gone through a screening process in order to put together a proper quality mix of skilled adults as well as young families that would be prepared psychologically to withstand starting a new settlement from scratch with little infrastructure and modern comforts. There were no paved roads or paths. Water was supplied periodically by a tanker truck. Electricity was provided by a generator since no electrical network existed in that area. Tents were replaced by pre-fab concrete blocks which served as living quarters, schools, and an infirmary. On September 1, 1978 the school year was officially opened.
As the settlement grew, a more heterogeneous mix of people joined the group including traditional Jews, as well as Orthodox Jews, though the city has kept its predominently secular nature. Nonetheless, the city now includes fourteen synagogues of various ethnic divisions of Orthodox Judaism.
Education
Ariel is home to the College of Judea and Samaria, founded in 1982. Current enrollment is 8,500 students, consisting of both Jewish and Arab (Israeli and Palestinian) students. In 2005, the Israeli government decided to allow the college to attain university status. The change of status is not immediate since the decision only allows the college to apply for revision by the Israeli Council for Higher Learning(המועצה להשכלה גבוהה) which must ultimately approve the change. University status is an issue of prestige, increased government funding, as well as the ability to open post-graduate studies and issue doctorate degrees.
External links
- Ariel home page
- College of Judea and Samaria home page
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