Kokhav Ya'akov
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|---|---|
 Houses in Kokhav Ya'akov | |
| Etymology: Star of Jacob | |
  Kokhav Ya'akov | |
| Coordinates:31°52′49″N35°14′45″E / 31.88028°N 35.24583°E /31.88028; 35.24583 | |
| District | Judea and Samaria Area |
| Council | Mateh Binyamin |
| Region | West Bank |
| Affiliation | Amana |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Population (2023) | 3,763[1] |
| Website | www.kochav-yaakov.org.il |
Kokhav Ya'akov (Hebrew:כּוֹכַב יַעֲקֹב,lit. 'Star of Jacob') is a religiousIsraeli settlement organized as acommunity settlement in theWest Bank. Located near thePalestinian town ofal-Bireh, it is administered byMateh Binyamin Regional Council. In 2023 it had a population of 3,763. The settlement is north ofJerusalem and close to the Palestinian city ofRamallah.[2]
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bankillegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.[3][4][5]
According toARIJ Israel confiscated land from twoPalestinian villages in order to construct Kokhav Ya'akov:
The settlement was established in 1985 by theAmana settlement movement, and was initially namedAbir Ya'akov after rabbiYaakov Abuhatzeira.[9] In 1988, its name was changed toKokhav Ya'akov.[citation needed]
In 2013,Uri Ariel, then serving asMinister of Construction, visited Kochav Ya’akov, where he expressed support for additional home-building. Ariel indicated that he believed there was potential to construction 1,000 more homes in Kochav Ya’akov.[10]
In 2023 theTel Zion neighbourhood was recognised as an independent settlement.[11]
In March 2013 a heritage and tourism site promoting the legacy ofYemenite Jewry opened in Kokhav Ya'akov. Founded by Shoham Simchi, the Yemen Gallery (Hebrew:החצר התימנית) houses an art gallery and a workshop that recreates the life of Yemen's Jews. The building itself is designed in the spirit of traditional Yemenite architecture.[12][13]
