Nitzan

Nitzan Vacant caravillas in Nitzan Nitzan ( , lit.¹ Flower bud ) is a religiously observant communal settlement in southern Israel . Located among the Nitzanim sand dunes north of Ashkelon , it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof Ashkelon Regional Council .² In 2007 it had a population of 3,000.³ The town has a large concentration of Bnei Menashe Jews (10 -20% of the population), from the India/Myanmar Border Region of India.⁴ The first settlement on Nitzan's current grounds was the kibbutz of Nitzanim in 1943. The kibbutz was conquered by Egypt during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , but recaptured by Israel towards the end of the conflict. However, the kibbutz was re-established four miles to the south. In 1949 Nitzanim Youth Village was established on the site, but this closed in 1990, and a few years later, foundations were laid for the modern Nitzan. By 1995 Nitzan had a population of 105. It experienced rapid expansion in the mid-2000s after being selected to temporarily house a large group of families evacuated from Gush Katif as part of disengagement plan . 500 temporary caravillas were constructed on the eastern end of Nitzan (an area which became known as Nitzan Bet ), and 250 more were ordered by the Israeli Government . According to government plans, a school and sports area will eventually be constructed. Several environmental organisations objected to the new construction, which increased Nitzan's area by four-and-a-half times, fearing damage to the fragile sand dune ecosystem . The neighbourhood has also been the target of criticism from the settlers, as well as Israeli human-rights groups, citing a lack of adequate housing and facilities. They argue that governmental negligence resulted in a housing shortage which forced large families to separate into multiple caravillas, and that basic infrastructure like a youth area, nursery, and synagogue were absent. First families move to Nitzan homes; others opt for tents Haaretz, 1 August 2005 Nature Society asks Mazuz to halt Nitzan construction Haaretz, 16 May 2005⁵