Nir Oz

Nir Oz
נִיר עֹז‎
Nir Oz
Coordinates: 31°18′36.71″N 34°24′7.55″E / 31.3101972°N 34.4020972°E / 31.3101972; 34.4020972Coordinates: 31°18′36.71″N 34°24′7.55″E / 31.3101972°N 34.4020972°E / 31.3101972; 34.4020972
District Southern
Council Eshkol
Affiliation Kibbutz Movement
Founded 1 October 1955
Founded by Nahal
Population (2015)[1] 395

Nir Oz (Hebrew: נִיר עֹז, ניר עוז‎, lit. Meadow of Strength) is a kibbutz in southern Israel. It is located in the northwestern Negev desert between Magen and Nirim, and covers 20,000 dunams. Nir Oz is under the jurisdiction of Eshkol Regional Council. In 2015 it had a population of 395.

History

Founded on 1 October 1955, as a Nahal settlement, it was recognized as a kibbutz two months later.

Due to its proximity to Gaza, Nir Oz farmers often come under Palestinian sniper fire. In 2008, the Israel Defense Forces asked the kibbutz to harvest its potatoes at night to lower the risk of attack.[2] On 5 June 2008, a mortar bomb fired from the Gaza Strip hit the Nirlat paint factory on the kibbutz, killing an employee and wounding four others. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack.[3]

Economy

In addition to agriculture, Nir Oz has a factory for silicon sealant products and an engineering firm. In recent years, Nir Oz has become a major grower of asparagus for export.[4]

Water conservation

In 1960, Nir Oz introduced a long-term water saving gardening project on 27 acres (110,000 m2) of kibbutz land. Some 750 drought-resistant plants have been tested. The garden, designed by landscape architect Hayyim Kahanovich, uses only 50% of the water used in the center and north of the country. The project is conducted in cooperation with Ben Gurion University of the Negev and serves as a study and observation site for researchers, gardeners, teachers and students from all over the country.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "List of localities, in Alphabetical order" (PDF). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  2. ↑ The moon works against Nir Oz farmers Haaretz
  3. ↑ Nir Oz under attack Prime Minister's Office
  4. ↑ Digging for white gold Haaretz
  5. ↑ Wise gardening in Kibbutz Nir Oz Ministry of Environmental Protection
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