{{Short description|Former Israeli settlement in the Gaza Strip}} {{pp-extended|small=yes}} {{Expand Hebrew|topic=geo|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox Kibbutz |pushpin_map=Israel gaza |pushpin_mapsize= 250 |coordinates = {{coord|31|18|52|N|34|16|03|E|display=inline,title}} |name= Kerem Atzmona |hebname={{Script/Hebrew|כרם עצמונה}} |foundation= 2001 |settlement_type=Former [[Israeli settlement]] |country= }}
'''Kerem Atzmona''' ({{langx|he|כרם עצמונה}}) was an unauthorized [[Israeli outpost]] in the [[Gush Katif]] settlement bloc, located in the south-west edge of the [[Gaza Strip]], and evacuated as part of [[Israel's unilateral disengagement plan]] of 2005.
==History== Karem Atzmona founded on [[Tu Bishvat]] in 2001,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adler |first=Akiva |date=2003-02-26 |title=בשביל מה ועדת בדיקה? מספיק לגלוש באינטרנט |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/misc/2003-02-26/ty-article/0000017f-db98-db5a-a57f-dbfa99040000 |access-date=2025-08-08 |website=Haaretz |language=he}}</ref> was located adjacent to the settlement of [[Bnei Atzmon]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=כרם עצמונה |url=https://myesha.org.il/?CategoryID=175&ArticleID=217 |access-date=2025-08-08 |website=[[Yesha Council]] |language=he}}</ref> The settlement was never legally recognized by the Israeli government, and was legally classified as a neighborhood of Bnei Atzmon.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Shragai |first=Nadav |date=2005-05-09 |title=במאחז היחיד בגוש קטיף לא יחגגו השבוע את יום העצמאות |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/misc/2005-05-09/ty-article/0000017f-efd2-df98-a5ff-efffe36e0000 |access-date=2025-08-08 |website=Haaretz |language=he}}</ref>
The history of Kerem Atzmona starts prior to the outbreak of the [[Second Intifada]]. Between the settlements of [[Morag, Gaza|Morag]] and Bnei Atzmon, within Gush Katif, lied several thousand dunams of unused land that until a decade earlier had been a vineyard (kerem in Hebrew translates to vineyard) of Bnei Atzmon. In the summer of 2000, second generation children of Bnei Atzmon decided to hold a summer camp on the plateau which is sixty meters above sea level. A few months later in the fall, before the [[Jewish]] holiday of [[Rosh Hashana]] (and before the [[October 2000 riots (Israel)|October 2000 riots]]), two families decided to move to the site and live in a trailer. The following spring, more families decided to move to the location and took up residence in additional trailers that were installed on the site.<ref name=":0" />
At the beginning of this venture, financial and logistical support came from the community of Bnei Atzmon, but eventually the residents themselves became independent and took administrative control of that neighborhood-turned-settlement. Along with the living quarters, a [[synagogue]], a [[mikveh]] for men, and a [[children's playground]] were built.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} Plans for adding a nursery were already finalized, and a master plan for an expansion along with permanent housing was in development at the time of evacuation.<ref name=":1" />
The 20 families of Kerem Atzmon were evicted on 17 August 2005 by the [[Israeli Army]] and [[Israeli Police|Police]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-08-17 |title=נווה דקלים: הכוחות עזבו, הצעירים פרצו בריקודים |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3128954,00.html |access-date=2025-08-08 |website=ynet |language=he}}</ref> The trailers and other structures were destroyed on 19 August.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hasson |first=Miri |date=2005-08-19 |title=דחפורים הרסו את בתי כרם עצמונה |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3130217,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240501160229/https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3130217,00.html |archive-date=2024-05-01 |access-date=2025-08-08 |work=ynet |language=he |url-status=live }}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071010053019/http://www.police.gov.il/app/NTSpokesmanCivil/gallery_small_pictures.asp?move=0&galleryid=54&category=dover Israeli Police picture gallery from day of evacuation]
{{Former Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip}}
[[Category:Former Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip]] [[Category:Populated places established in 2001]]