Hermesh

{{Short description|Israeli settlement in the West Bank}}

{{pp-extended|small=yes}}

{{Infobox Israel village

| name = Hermesh

| image = Hermesh.JPG

| caption =

| hebname = {{Script/Hebrew|חֶרְמֵשׁ}}

| meaning = Scythe

| founded = 1984

| founded_by = Mishkei Herut Beitar

| country =

| region = West Bank

| district = js

| council = Shomron

| affiliation = Mishkei Herut Beitar

| popyear = {{Israel populations|Year}}

| population = {{Israel populations|Hermesh}}

| population_footnotes = {{Israel populations|reference}}

| pushpin_map = Israel shomron#West Bank#Israel |pushpin_mapsize = 250

| coordinates = {{coord|32|25|24|N|35|7|9|E|display=inline,title}}

| website =

}}

Hermesh ({{langx|he|חֶרְמֵשׁ||Scythe}}) is an Israeli settlement in the western Samarian hills of the West Bank. Founded in 1984, it is organised as a community settlement and falls under the jurisdiction of Shomron Regional Council. In {{Israel populations|Year}} it had a population of {{Israel populations|Hermesh}}.

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal, but the Israeli government disputes this.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1682640.stm |title=The Geneva Convention |publisher=BBC News |date=10 December 2009 |accessdate=27 November 2010 }}

History

Hermesh was established in 1984 by the Mishkei Herut Beitar settlement organization. Most of the residents of Hermesh are secular Jews or non-Jews. More than half of the population are new immigrants, mainly from the former Soviet Union. Their motivation for living in the region is not ideology but quality of life.[http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/settlers-in-hermesh-home-of-attack-victim-make-no-ideological-claims-1.161859 Settlers in Hermesh, home of attack victim, make no ideological claims], Haaretz

On 29 October 2002 three residents of Hermesh, Orna Eshel (53), Hadas Turgeman (14), and Linoy Saroussi (14) were shot dead by a Palestinian gunman who entered the village armed with a Kalashnikov. A soldier and a resident were wounded in the attack. Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility.[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Palestinian+terror+since+2000/Victims+of+Palestinian+Violence+and+Terrorism+sinc.htm Victims of Palestinian Violence and Terrorism since September 2000] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403024612/http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-%20Obstacle%20to%20Peace/Palestinian%20terror%20since%202000/Victims%20of%20Palestinian%20Violence%20and%20Terrorism%20sinc.htm |date=2007-04-03 }}

On 20 June 2005 Hermesh resident Yevgeny Reider (28) was killed in a shooting attack near Baqa ash-Sharqiyya, in the northern West Bank. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack. On 30 May 2023 settler Meir Tamari (32) was killed in a shooting attack near the entrance of the settlement. Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack.

Archaeology

Frasin, an archeological site located across the road is identified with Kfar Parshai, a site mentioned in the Talmud (Babylonian Talmud, Abodah Zarah, 31a).{{Cite journal |last=Avi-Yonah |first=Michael |date=1976 |title=Gazetteer of Roman Palestine |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43587090 |journal=Qedem |volume=5 |pages=72 |issn=0333-5844}} It also preserves the biblical name 'Peresh' (of the Tribe of Manasseh).

References