Mitzpe Yair

Mitzpe Yair (Hebrew: מצפה יאיר, lit. 'Yair Lookout') is an unauthorized (or illegal under Israeli law)^[1] Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located two kilometres south-east of Susya, it falls under the jurisdiction of Har Hebron Regional Council. It consists of 15 prefabricated structures, and is home for several families.^[when?]

Mitzpe Yair
Mitzpe Yair
Coordinates: 31°23′04″N 35°08′04″E
District	Judea and Samaria Area
Council	Har Hebron
Region	West Bank
Founded	October 1998
Founded by	Meir Am-Shalem

History

Mitzpe Yair was established by Meir Am-Shalem in October 1998, and, according to Gideon Levy, was a price tag operation set up as Magen David Farm in retribution for the murder of a Susya settler, Yair Har-Sinai, after whom it was subsequently renamed.^[2]

Legal status

Mitzpe Yair is an unauthorized settlement that is regarded as illegal by the Israeli regional administration.^[3] In 2007 Peace Now revealed that a police superintendent was residing there despite its illegal status. The officer was ordered to evacuate his house by July that year.^[4]

The international community considers all Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this^[5] in regard to those settlements who do have state authorization.

A vineyard in a wadi, planted on privately owned Palestinian land, and run by Elad Movshoviz, produces 7,000 bottles per annum. A legal case on the ownership of the area was, as of 2012, pending before the Israeli High Court of Justice.^[2]