Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Afik

(Israel Twitter)Afik, אֲפִיק‎‎, is an Israeli settlement and a kibbutz, and the first Jewish locale established in the Golan Heights after the Six Day War. Affiliated with Ihud HaKvutzot VeHaKibbutzim, it was established near the site of the abandoned Syrian village named Fiq on 8 May 1972. It falls under the municipal jurisdiction of the Golan Regional Council, and the Fik Airfield is located nearby.

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this. In 1981, Israel annexed the Golan Heights, making it an integral part of the State of Israel, although this declaration is not recognized by the international community. In a possible future agreement with Syria, Afik is one of the settlements in the Golan that might be removed.

There are multiple locations called Aphek in the Bible and the location of the kibbutz is believed to be adjacent to the ruins of the ancient Aphek mentioned in the Books of Kings(1 Kings 20:26) which tells how King Ahab of Israel defeated Ben-Hadad I of Damascus  and the prophet Elisha foretold that King Jehoash of Israel would defeat Ben-Hadad III of Damascus.

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