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Erez

Coordinates: 31°33′36″N 34°33′58″E / 31.56000°N 34.56611°E / 31.56000; 34.56611
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Erez
ארז
إيرز
Erez in early 1949
Erez in early 1949
Erez is located in Ashkelon region of Israel
Erez
Erez
Erez is located in Israel
Erez
Erez
Coordinates: 31°33′36″N 34°33′58″E / 31.56000°N 34.56611°E / 31.56000; 34.56611
Country Israel
DistrictSouthern
CouncilShaʽar HaNegev
AffiliationKibbutz Movement
Founded1949 (original location)
1950 (current location)
Founded byNoar HaOved
Population
 (2022)[1]
616
Websitewww.erez.org.il

Erez (Hebrew: אֶרֶז, lit.'cedar') is a kibbutz in southwestern Israel. Located just 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north of the Gaza Strip, it is the namesake of the nearby Erez Crossing.

The kibbutz was founded in 1949 and moved to its current location in 1950. In 2019, it had a population of 558.[1]

Located in the northwestern Negev around 18 kilometres (11 mi) south of the coastal city of Ashkelon, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Shaʽar HaNegev Regional Council.

History

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Erez is named after the first group that settled the kibbutz, who were members of the Noar HaOved from Petah Tikva. It was founded in 1949.

Archaeological discoveries from Erez include a statue of a griffin with a Greek dedication by a priest, dating to 210/211 AD. Additionally, fragments of Greek inscriptions, one potentially Latin, have been found here.[2]

1948 Arab-Israeli war

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Before the founding of the kibbutz the Palestinian village of Dimrah (Arabic: دمرة) existed on the same land.[3] During the first Arab-Israeli war in 1948 the approximately 520 inhabitants were forcefully driven out by Israeli forces as part of the Nakba.[4][5]

2023 Hamas attack

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On 7 October 2023, the kibbutz was attacked in the opening stage of the 2023 Israel-Hamas war. The kibbutz security team repulsed the attack in an hours-long battle, losing one of its members.[6]

Economy

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The kibbutz has three main industries: agriculture (arable and fruit farming as well as animal husbandry), manufacturing (Erez Thermoplastics Products manufactures plastic-covered materials), and research and development.[citation needed]

Notable people

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See also

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  • Erez Crossing, a border crossing point between Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip

References

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  1. ^ a b "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  2. ^ "XXI. Erez", Volume 3 South Coast: 2161-2648, De Gruyter, pp. 373–376, 2014-07-14, doi:10.1515/9783110337679.373, ISBN 978-3-11-033767-9, retrieved 2024-02-25
  3. ^ Lieut C.R Conder, H.H Kitchener (1878-05-01). "Palestine Exploration Fund Map: Ascalon/Gaza". IAA Archives. The Israel Antiquities Authority. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  4. ^ "GAZA Sub-District VILLAGE STATISTICS -1945". Australian National University. 1945-04-01. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
  5. ^ Benny Morris (2004), The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem Revisited, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-00967-6, retrieved 2024-03-03
  6. ^ Untrained, lacking proper arms, local security teams defended their Gaza border homes
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