Yitav

Yitav יִיטַ"ב
Yitav
Coordinates: 31°56′50″N35°25′23″E / 31.94722°N 35.42306°E / 31.94722; 35.42306
District	Judea and Samaria Area
Council	Bik'at HaYarden
Region	West Bank
Affiliation	Kibbutz Movement
Founded	1970
Founded by	Nahal
Population  (2023) [1]	199

Entrance to Yitav

Yitav (Hebrew : יִיטַ"ב, an abbreviation of Yad Yitzhak Tabenkin) is an Israeli settlement and moshav shitufi in the southern Jordan Valley of the West Bank. ^[2] Located just north of Jericho and west of the Palestinian village of al-Auja, it falls under the jurisdiction of Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council. ^[2] In 2023 it had a population of 199.

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this. ^[3]

History

According to ARIJ, Israel confiscated 499 dunams of land from the Palestinian village of Al-Auja in order to construct Yitav. ^[4]

Niran was established as a Nahal settlement in 1970, Yitav was recognised by the state in 1977, and began operating as a kibbutz. ^[2] It was named a memorial (Hebrew : yad) to Yitzhak Tabenkin, one of the leaders of the Israeli kibbutz movement.^{[ citation needed ]} It subsequently reorganized into a moshav shitufi (though remaining within the Kibbutz Movement), whose members today are immigrants from the former Soviet Union (34 families). ^{[ citation needed ]}

Nature

Subtropical agriculture is the main economic activity in Yitav (dates, bananas, vegetables), although some members have outside jobs in the surrounding area or in Jerusalem.^{[ citation needed ]}

Yitav Nature Reserve located 4 km west of Yitav covers the canyon of Nahal Yitav (Wadi al-Auja) with its springs.^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
2. "ייטב". Archived from the original on 2024-01-23. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
3. "The Geneva Convention". BBC News. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
4. Al 'Auja Town Profile p. 19, ARIJ

External links

• Yitav on Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council site (in Hebrew).