Gush Etzion

Gush Etzion is a group of Israeli communities first established between 1943 and 1947 located halfway between Jerusalem and Hebron. Prior attempts to reestablish communities in the area in 1917-1919 and 1935-1936 failed. The history of the communities is split into two distinct periods as a result of the destruction by Arab armed forces of the original communities: Kfar Etzion, Maasuot Yitzchak, Ein Tzurim and Revadim during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. (See Kfar Etzion massacre.)

Communities were reestablished after the Six-Day War, beginning with Kfar Etzion in September 1967. Many of the returnees to Kfar Etzion were children of communities members massacred in 1948.

Currently, Gush Etzion includes:

• Kfar Etzion
• Har Gilo
• Alon Shvut
• Rosh Tzurim
• Elazar (settlement)
• Tekoa
• Migdal Oz
• Maale Amos
• Neve Daniel
• Nokdim - El David
• Metzad
• Carmei Tzur
• Kedar
• Bat Ayin
• Efrat (independent municipality physically located within Gush Etzion)