Neve Ativ

Neve Ativ (Hebrew: נווה אטי"ב), is an Israeli settlement organized as a small Alpine-styled moshav in the Golan Heights. Located on the slopes of Mount Hermon, 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) west of Majdal Shams.^[2] it falls under the jurisdiction of Golan Regional Council. In 2023 it had a population of 227.^[1]

Neve Ativ נווה אטי"ב
Moshav
View of Neve Ativ
Neve Ativ Show map of the Golan Heights Neve Ativ Show map of the Golan Heights
Coordinates: 33°15′42″N 35°44′28″E
District	Northern
Council	Golan
Affiliation	Agricultural Union
Founded	1972; 53 years ago (1972)
Population  (2023)[1]	227
Website	neve-ativ.org.il

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights illegal under international law, though the Israeli and United States governments dispute this.^[3][4]

Etymology

The name Ativ is an acronym for four fallen soldiers from the Egoz Reconnaissance Unit killed in action in the Golan: Avraham Hameiri, Tuvia Ellinger, Yair Elegarnty, and Binyamin Hadad. Neve means Oasis.

History

Israel and Syria fought major battles in the area in 1967 and 1973, and it remains a strategic military position.^[5] Neve Ativ was built on the land of the destroyed Syrian village of Jubata ez-Zeit.^[6][7] It was founded in 1972, when the Golan region was a part of the Israeli Military Governorate, governed by military occupation system. In 1981, the area of Golan was unilaterally annexed by Israel.

In November 1996, a dining room in the settlement was set on fire and the walls on the building had "Down With the Occupation" and "The Golan Belongs to Syria" painted on them. Pro-Syrian Druze were believed to be behind it.^[8]

Economy

The moshav's main industry is tourism. Neve Ativ operates the nearby Mount Hermon ski resort,^[9] which has 25 kilometers (16 mi) of ski runs on the southern slopes of Mount Hermon.^[10][11] The resort was destroyed in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, but re-opened the following year.^[9]