Rotem (Israeli settlement)

Israeli settlement in the West Bank

Place in Judea and Samaria Area

Rotem

רותם

Aerial view

Rotem

Coordinates: 32°20′12″N 35°31′06″E﻿ / ﻿32.33667°N 35.51833°E﻿ / 32.33667; 35.51833
District| Judea and Samaria Area
Council| Bik'at HaYarden
Region| West Bank
Founded| 1983
Population

(2023)[1]

| 311

Rotem (Hebrew: רותם) is an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located in the northern Jordan River Valley along the Allon Road south-west of Shadmot Mehola,[2] it falls under the jurisdiction of Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council.[2] In 2023 it had a population of 311.

The international community considers Israeli settlements to be illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.[3]

## History

[edit]

Home in Rotem

Rotem was first established as a pioneer Nahal military outpost and later abandoned. Several failed attempts were made to try a reestablish either a military or civilian presence at the site. The current initiative was established in 2001. The village prides itself on being a joint non-Orthodox and Orthodox community, inhabited by both religious and non-religious Jews.[2]

## Eco-Settlement

[edit]

Rotem presents itself as an ecological settlement with a focus on environmentally friendly infrastructure. Most of the homes are not connected to a sewer system and rely on such solutions as cesspools, devices that purify wastewater and experimental systems developed at the Technion for treating sewage and converting it into an energy source.[4] However, others argue that the settlement's environmentalism is a tool for colonisation, in particular as Palestinian villages are not permitted to build their own eco-friendly and sustainable infrastructure.[5] In the nearby Bedouin village of Khirbet Humsa, the civil administration destroyed the only solar panels providing electricity to the village. These solar panels had been constructed due to the Israeli authorities' prevention of access to the Israeli electricity grid by Bedouin villagers.[6]

## See also

[edit]

* Ecovillages

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
2. ^ a b c Rotem Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council
3. ^ "The Geneva Convention". BBC News. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
4. ^ Moron, Meirav (3 March 2022). "These Israeli Settlers Are Only 'Here for Rainbows and Moonrises'". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
5. ^ Moron, Meirav (3 March 2022). "'This Israeli Settlement's problem isn't tourists. It is abuse of Palestinians.'". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
6. ^ 'Israeli forces leave 41 children homeless after razing Palestinian village, UN says, Guardian'

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Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council

Kibbutzim|

* Gilgal
* Na'aran

Moshavim|

* Argaman
* Beka'ot
* Gitit
* Hamra
* Masua
* Mehola
* Mekhora
* Na'omi
* Netiv HaGdud
* Petza'el
* Ro'i
* Shadmot Mehola
* Tomer
* Yafit
* Yitav

Community settlements|

* Hemdat
* Maskiot
* Mevo'ot Yeriho
* Rotem

Authority control databases: National |

* Israel

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