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Tze'elim

Coordinates: 31°12′13″N 34°32′6″E / 31.20361°N 34.53500°E / 31.20361; 34.53500
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(Redirected from Tze'elim Army Base)
Tze'elim
צֶאֱלִים
Egged Ta'avura bus route 376 at Tze'elim
Egged Ta'avura bus route 376 at Tze'elim
Tze'elim is located in Northwest Negev region of Israel
Tze'elim
Tze'elim
Tze'elim is located in Israel
Tze'elim
Tze'elim
Coordinates: 31°12′13″N 34°32′6″E / 31.20361°N 34.53500°E / 31.20361; 34.53500
CountryIsrael
DistrictSouthern
CouncilEshkol
AffiliationKibbutz Movement
FoundedJanuary 1947
Founded byEastern European and North African Jewish immigrants
Population
 (2022)[1]
495
Websitewww.zeelim.co.il
Tze’elim, November 1947
Aircraft landing site, Kibbutz Tze’elim, 1948

Tze'elim (Hebrew: צֶאֱלִים) is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located in the Negev desert, it falls under the jurisdiction of Eshkol Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 495.[1] A military training base of the ground forces of the IDF (often named "Tze'elim Base") is located nearby.

History

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The kibbutz was founded in January 1947 by gar'in from Jewish youth movements in Eastern Europe and North Africa and was named for the abundant acacia trees in the area, which were mistakenly identified as the biblical Tze'elim trees. During the 1948 Arab–Israeli War the kibbutz was used as a military base. Many of the Selvino children were settled in the kibbutz.

Economy

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Today the kibbutz markets itself as a tourist destination, with a natural hot springs spa and accommodation. Other economic activities are agriculture and farming.

A 120 MW solar power plant, Israel's largest to date, opened in the kibbutz in 2020.[2]

The production plant for cleantech materials made out of unsorted garbage of the Israeli company UBQ Materials is located at the kibbutz.

Transport

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Tze'elim is linked to the regional council by bus route 14, to Tel Aviv by bus route 376, to Ofakim by bus route 30 and to Beersheba by bus route 130. All 4 bus routes are operated by Dan BaDarom. Tze'elim is situated off highway 222, in the north-western Negev.

Urban Warfare Training Center

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In 2005 the Israeli Defense Forces, with assistance from the United States, built the Urban Warfare Training Center at the Tze'elim Army Base, at a cost of $45 million. Nicknamed "Baladia" (Arabic for "city"), it is a 7.4 square mile training center used to instruct soldiers in urban warfare techniques, and consists of an imitation Middle Eastern style city with multiple multistorey buildings.[3] It has been used to train various military organizations, including the US Army and UN peacekeepers. The project was developed in response to the need for greater urban warfare training amongst the IDF, following the conflict during the Second Intifada.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Largest photovoltaic power plant in Israel to commence operations". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
  3. ^ "Marines to train at new Israeli combat center". DeepJournal. 26 June 2007.
  4. ^ "War Games: Israeli Urban Warfare". Vice News. 9 April 2014.
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