Beit Horon (Hebrew: בֵּית חוֹרוֹן) is a communal Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Bordering Route 443 between Modi'in and Jerusalem, the biblical pass of Beit Horon (Joshua 10:10), after which it is named,[2] it falls under the jurisdiction of Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 1,442.
Beit Horon | |
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  Beit Horon | |
| Coordinates: 31°52′36″N 35°7′43″E / 31.87667°N 35.12861°E | |
| District | Judea and Samaria Area |
| Council | Mateh Binyamin |
| Region | West Bank |
| Affiliation | Amana |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Population (2022)[1] | 1,442 |
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.[3]
History
Beit Horon was established on 1 December 1977.[4]
According to ARIJ, Israel confiscated land from several surrounding Palestinian villages in order to construct Beit Horon:
- 1036 dunams were taken from Beitunia, for Beit Horon and Giv'at Ze'ev,[5]
- 863 dunams were taken from Beit Ur al-Fauqa,[6]
- 67 dunams were taken from At-Tira,[7]
- 61 dunams were taken from Kharbatha al-Misbah.[8]
Beit Horon is a joint Secular and Orthodox community.[9]A religious elementary school located in Beit Horon serves local children as well as those from surrounding villages. There are also three nurseries and kindergarten, two synagogues, a kollel, a mikvah for women and men, and a library.[10]