# Metzad

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Place in Judea and Samaria Area, Palestine

Metzad מיצד‎ (Hebrew) Hebrew transcription(s) • Unofficial Asfar Metzad Coordinates: 31°35′9″N 35°11′14″E / 31.58583°N 35.18722°E / 31.58583; 35.18722 Country Palestine District Judea and Samaria Area Council Gush Etzion Region West Bank Founded 1984 Population (2024)[1] 1,513

**Metzad** ([Hebrew](/source/Hebrew_language): מיצד), also known as **Asfar** (אַסְפָר), is an [Israeli settlement](/source/Israeli_settlement) organised as a [community settlement](/source/Community_settlement_(Israel)) in the [Gush Etzion](/source/Gush_Etzion_Regional_Council) settlement bloc in the [West Bank](/source/West_Bank). Established as by [ultra-orthodox Jews](/source/Ultra-orthodox_Judaism) in 1984, it is located south of [Bethlehem](/source/Bethlehem) in the eastern [Judean Mountains](/source/Judean_Mountains), 14.5 km from the [Green Line](/source/Green_Line_(Israel)), outside the [Separation Barrier](/source/Israeli_West_Bank_barrier). In January 2022 its population was 1110, up 35% from five years earlier. It falls under the municipal jurisdiction of the [Gush Etzion Regional Council](/source/Gush_Etzion_Regional_Council).[2]

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank [illegal under international law](/source/International_law_and_Israeli_settlements), but the Israeli government disputes this.[3]

Israeli settlement in the West Bank

## History

Metzad was established in 1984 by [immigrants](/source/Aliyah) from the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa and France. The settlement was built on the site of a [Nahal](/source/Nahal) paramilitary outpost called *Nahal Asfar* (named after a biblical place of the Maccabean revolt (1 Maccabees 9:33)) established in 1983, and which Palestinians state was confiscated from the village of [Ash-Shuyukh](/source/Ash-Shuyukh).[4] The first structures on Metzad were erected by the [Israel Defense Forces](/source/Israel_Defense_Forces)'s civil corps of engineers. They were handed over for civilian use at the time of the creation of Metzad in 1984. Initially, the road up to the settlement was unpaved, water was brought by truck, and electricity was sporadically provided by a generator.

The next phase of development involved the placement of sixty caravans to serve as homes, offices, security compound, award-winning Preschool facilities, Clinic, Youth Center, Library, Weaving and Art Studios, and Computer Center. Construction of a new neighborhood of twenty-five permanent homes began in 1992. This included the building of a Family Health Center, an industrial building housing both the Weaving Studio and a [Simcha](/source/Simcha) Hall for special events and an outdoor basketball court.

Metzad is the southernmost settlement in the Gush Etzion bloc, and is one of its three Haredi settlements, the others being [Betar Illit](/source/Betar_Illit) and [Ma'ale Amos](/source/Ma'ale_Amos). The settlement contains one [Kollel](/source/Kollel): *Metzudat David* and elementary school "Dover Shalom". The synagogue is the highest building in Metzad. The second floor offers a panoramic view of the [Judean Mountains](/source/Judean_Mountains), the [Dead Sea](/source/Dead_Sea) and [Jerusalem](/source/Jerusalem).[5]

Immediately to the west is *Khirbet ez-Za'feran* or *Hurvat Za'afran*, thought to be the site of the ancient *Bor Asphar* (Well of Asphar), where, according to [1 Maccabees](/source/1_Maccabees) and [Josephus](/source/Josephus), the [Maccabees](/source/Maccabees) gathered following [Judas Maccabeus](/source/Judas_Maccabeus)'s death.[6][7]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Israelpopulations_1-0)** ["Regional Statistics"](https://boardsgenerator.cbs.gov.il/pages/WebParts/YishuvimPage.aspx?mode=Yeshuv&l=1). *Israel Central Bureau of Statistics*. Retrieved 21 March 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Gush Etzion Communities](http://www.gush-etzion.org.il/communities.asp) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110905062444/http://www.gush-etzion.org.il/communities.asp) 2011-09-05 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["The Geneva Convention"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1682640.stm). [BBC News](/source/BBC_News). 10 December 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ['Settlers destroy 1200 Palestinian olive trees near Hebron ,'](http://www.maannews.com/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=760161) [Ma'an News Agency](/source/Ma'an_News_Agency) 27 March 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [About Metzad](http://www.metzad.com/about.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100821091931/http://www.metzad.com/about.htm) 2010-08-21 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [1 Maccabees 9:33](https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=1%20Maccabees%209:33&version=nrsvae); Josephus, *Antiquities of the Jews,* 13:1:2-8

1. **[^](#cite_ref-AY19762_7-0)** Avi-Yonah, Michael (1976). ["Gazetteer of Roman Palestine"](https://www.jstor.org/stable/43587090). *Qedem*. **5**: 33. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0333-5844](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0333-5844).

## External links

- [Peace Now fact sheet](https://web.archive.org/web/20131013131218/http://peacenow.org.il/eng/content/asfar)

v t e Gush Etzion Regional Council Kibbutzim Kfar Etzion Migdal Oz Rosh Tzurim Community settlements Alon Shvut Bat Ayin Elazar Har Gilo Karmei Tzur Kedar Kfar Eldad Ma'ale Amos Metzad Neve Daniel Nokdim (El David) Tekoa Outposts Gevaot Ibei HaNahal Ma'ale Rehav'am Pnei Kedem Sde Bar Sde Boaz Tzur Shalem

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Metzad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metzad) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metzad?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.