Barkan
Israeli settlement in the West Bank
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Barkan (Hebrew: בַּרְקָן) is an Israeli settlement in the northern West Bank, about 8 km west of the Palestinian city of Salfit, under the administrative local government of the Shomron Regional Council. In 2023 its population was 2,169.
Barkan
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|---|---|
The Barkan mall | |
  Barkan | |
| Coordinates: 32°6′27″N 35°6′20.51″E | |
| Country | Palestine |
| District | Judea and Samaria Area |
| Council | Shomron |
| Region | West Bank |
| Affiliation | Mishkei Herut Beitar |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founded by | Beitar and Herut |
| Population (2023)[1] | 2,169 |
The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.[2]
History
Founded in June 1981 by secular Israelis from the Beitar and Herut movements, Barkan is part of a chain of settlements built along the Trans-Samaria Highway, and adjacent to the Barkan Industrial Park. The park, established in 1982, has 120 businesses and factories manufacturing plastics, metal-work, food, textile, and more. Of the 5,000 workers, 90% are Palestinian Arabs.[3]
According to ARIJ, Israel confiscated land from two Palestinian villages in order to construct Barkan: 167 dunams from Qarawat Bani Hassan,[4] and 353 dunams from Sarta.[5]
"Barkan" is called after the Hebrew name of the Syrian thistle. The original name of the town was Beit Abba after Abba Ahimeir, a leader of the Lehi.[6]
Archaeology
An archeological site east of the town contains remnants of an Israelite settlement during the time of the first and second temples.