# Ovnat > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ovnat > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ovnat.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovnat > Source revision: 1350927119 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Israeli settlement in the West Bank}} {{pp-extended|small=yes}} {{Infobox Israel village |name=Ovnat |image=OVNAT.JPG |imgsize=250px |hebname={{Script/Hebrew|אָבְנַת}} |arname= |meaning= |founded=2004 |founded_by= |stdHeb= |altOffSp=Avenat, Avnat |altUnoSp= |country = [Palestine](/source/Palestine) | region = [West Bank](/source/West_Bank) |district=js |council= [Megilot](/source/Megilot_Regional_Council) | population = {{Israel populations|Avenat}} | popyear = {{Israel populations|Year}} | population_footnotes = {{Israel populations|reference}} |pushpin_map=Israel south wb |pushpin_mapsize=250 |coordinates = {{coord|31|40|45|N|35|26|12|E|display=inline,title}} |website= }} '''Ovnat''' ({{langx|he|אׇבְנַת}}) is a small [Israeli settlement](/source/Israeli_settlement) in the [West Bank](/source/West_Bank), [Palestine](/source/Palestine), on the western shore of the [Dead Sea](/source/Dead_Sea), about {{convert|7|km|0|abbr=on}} south of [Kalya](/source/Kalia%2C_Israel) and {{convert|12|km|0|abbr=on}} north of [Mitzpe Shalem](/source/Mitzpe_Shalem). It falls under the jurisdiction of [Megilot Regional Council](/source/Megilot_Regional_Council). In {{Israel populations|Year}} it had a population of {{Israel populations|Avenat}}. 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.{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1682640.stm |title=The Geneva Convention |publisher=[BBC News](/source/BBC_News) |date=10 December 2009 |access-date=27 November 2010 }} ==History== The settlement was established as a [Nahal outpost](/source/Nahal_settlement) named '''Nahal Kidron''' in January 1987.Yair Doar, ''Lanu Hu HaMagal VeHaHerev (B)'', [Ministry of Defense Publishing House](/source/Ministry_of_Defense_(Israel)), 1997. According to the Palestinian NGO [ARIJ](/source/Applied_Research_Institute%E2%80%93Jerusalem), Israel confiscated 124 [dunam](/source/dunam)s of land from the [Palestinian](/source/Palestinians) town of [al-Ubeidiya](/source/Ubeidiya%2C_West_Bank) in order to construct Ovnat.[http://vprofile.arij.org/bethlehem/pdfs/VP/Al%20'Ubeidiya_tp_en.pdf Al ‘Ubeidiya Town Profile], ARIJ, p. 19 In June 1998, the [Megilot Regional Council](/source/Megilot_Regional_Council) signed a contract with a private company to operate a college for complementary medicine and computer studies at the site. The contract was signed under an agreement between the [Settlement Division](/source/World_Zionist_Organization_Settlement_Division) and the council, which authorized the council to operate the compound whose leasehold rights belonged to the Settlement Division. In October 1998, the company began operating the college.{{cite web |title=Local Authorities in the Judea and Samaria Area, Annual Report 50A for 1999 |url=https://library.mevaker.gov.il/sites/DigitalLibrary/Pages/Reports/2821-3.aspx |publisher=[State Comptroller of Israel](/source/State_Comptroller_of_Israel) |page=175}} Since 2003, a therapeutic [boarding school](/source/boarding_school) for [at-risk youth](/source/at-risk_youth) from religious homes, called "Yiftah", has operated at the site. Some of the settlement's residents work there. In addition, the settlement operates a [day care](/source/day_care) center, a nursery, and a [kindergarten](/source/kindergarten). The settlement's children also study at the regional school in [Kalya](/source/Kalya). In 2004, the settlement was civilianized. The settlement's name was changed from "Nahal Kidron" to "Avnat" in order to avoid confusion with the moshav [Kidron](/source/Kidron%2C_Israel) in the Shfela. The name Avnat is symbolic and modeled after Biblical-style names such as [Osnat](/source/Osnat) and [Basemath](/source/Basemath).Hanna Beitan, ''Fifty Years of Settlement: Atlas of Place and Settlement Names in Israel'', Jerusalem: Carta, 1999, p. 2.{{cite web |date=4 June 1992 |title=Yalkut HaPirsumim 4012 |url=https://www.nevo.co.il/Law_word/law10/yalkut-4012.pdf |page=3393}} Nearby, south of the settlement, the [Kidron Stream](/source/Kidron_Valley) flows into the [Dead Sea](/source/Dead_Sea), and north of it Wadi Mazin also flows into the sea. About half a kilometer east of the settlement is [Metsad Kidron](/source/Metsad_Kidron). The settlement covers 85 [dunam](/source/dunam)s, and in 2011 it had 24 residential units. At the beginning of 2015, the settlement opened 20 plots for construction, facing east toward the landscapes of the [Dead Sea](/source/Dead_Sea) and the [Moab](/source/Moab) Mountains. In March 2025, the [Security Cabinet](/source/Israeli_security_cabinet) decided to grant Avnat, along with 12 additional settlements of similar status, independent status.{{cite news |author=Hanan Greenwood |date=23 March 2025 |title="Continuing to lead a revolution": Dozens of settlements in Judea and Samaria to be recognized as independent |url=https://www.israelhayom.com/news/geopolitics/article/17593968 |work=[Israel Hayom](/source/Israel_Hayom)}} Until then, the settlement had officially been considered part of nearby [Mitzpe Shalem](/source/Mitzpe_Shalem), although it functioned independently. In November of that year, the settlement received official status.{{cite web |author=Dudi Segal |date=24 November 2025 |title=Commander of the Central Command signs 10 new jurisdiction areas in Judea and Samaria |url=https://hm-news.co.il/595255/ |website=[HaMechadesh](/source/HaMechadesh)}} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [https://www.dead-sea.org.il/?section=200 Avnat homepage ] {{in lang|he}} {{Megilot}} {{Authority control}} Category:Nahal settlements Category:Populated places established in 1983 Category:1983 establishments in the Israeli Civil Administration area Category:Israeli settlements in the West Bank --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ovnat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovnat) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovnat?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.