Gilgal, Bik'at HaYarden


Gilgal is an Israeli settlement organized as a kibbutz in the West Bank. Located in the Jordan Valley around 16 kilometres north of Jericho with an area of 1,400 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council. In it had a population of.
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.

History

Gilgal was established in 1970 as a Nahal settlement, and was named for the ancient Biblical site of Gilgal, which is thought to have been located at Khirbat al-Mafjar, two kilometres north-east of Jericho and better known as the site of the Umayyads' Hisham's Palace. According to ARIJ, in order to construct Gilgal, Israel confiscated land in 1970 from two Palestinian villages: 858 dunams from Fasayil, and 268 dunams from Al-Auja. It was converted to a civilian kibbutz in 1973.

Economy

Gilgal has invested millions of dollars in state-of-the-art water technology to boost its production of medjool dates. The system is based on the utilization of wastewater.

Climate