Ahiya, Mateh Binyamin


Ahiya is an Israeli outpost in the West Bank, about 1.5 km southeast of the Palestinian village of Jalud. It falls under the purview of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.
It is named after the Biblical prophet Ahijah the Shilonite who lived in Shiloh, which is about 3 km to its west.

Demographics

As of 2004 permanent construction of homes in Ahiya was being carried out.
As of 2011 the population of Ahiya was about 50 people.

Geography

Ahiya is near the Israeli outpost of Shvut Rachel as well as the Palestinian village of Jalud.
According to ARIJ, Israel confiscated land from the Palestinian villages of Jalud and Qusra in order to construct the Israeli outposts of Ahiya and Esh Kodesh.

Economy

Ahiya has the only Jewish owned oil press in the region. Settlers from the region bring their olives to Ahiya to be pressed.

Controversy

Farmers from Jalud have accused settlers from Ahiya of taking harvested olives from them by force.