Arnona

:"Arnona may also refer to Israeli property tax"Arnona ( _he. ארנונה) is a neighborhood in southern Jerusalem, Israel situated between the neighborhoods of Talpiot and Ramat Rachel.

Etymology

The most common explanation for the neighborhood’s name is its view of the Arnona River running from the Moab Hills to the Dead Sea. Another explanation is its naming after the first girl born there,Fact|date=September 2008 who was similarly named after the Arnona River.

Geography

Arnona is one of the highest points in Jerusalem at 800 meters above sea level. From Arnona one can see the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea, and, as mentioned, the Arnona River. The neighborhood is bordered by Derech Hevron and Talpiot to the west, Kibbutz Ramat Rachel to the south, Old Talpiot to the north, and the Judean Desert to the east.

History

Arnona was founded in 1931 (5691 according to the Jewish calendar) on land owned by the Keren HaEzra company according to plans created by the architect Richard Kaufman. In 1935, another neighborhood named “Binyan v’Melacha” was founded alongside Talpiot; this neighborhood has since been incorporated into the Arnona area. Together with other nearby Jewish areas (Talpiot and Mekor Chaim), Arnona gradually became a southern suburb of Jerusalem separated from the main city by the Arab neighborhoods of Baka and Talbieh, and the German Colony area.

During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Arnona was on the front line. In May 1948, Arnona was occupied by Arab forces. An attack by Egyptian, Jordanian, and local Arab troops led to a retreat by Jewish forces from Arnona and Ramat Rachel. A combined unit of the Hagana and Palmach later retook the area [ [http://www.daat.ac.il/DAAT/english/history/lapidot/31.htm The Battle for Ramat Rachel, The Southern Gateway to Jerusalem] Yehuda Lapidot] .

The 1949 cease fire agreement with Jordan placed the cease-fire line at the eastern border of Arnona. This cease fire line was part of the "Kav Ironi", the Jerusalem section of the Green line separating the Jordanian and Israeli armies. The border was patrolled by a dedicated force, but the only physical barrier was an unguarded barbed-wire fence. With the Six-Day War in 1967, Arnona gained its current borders.

Modern era

Until the 1990s, Arnona was similar in nature to the Old Talpiot area. During the 1990s, a widespread building trend led to a rise in property value and made Arnona into a relatively upscale neighborhood. Structures in the area are generally no more than six stories in height. Today, virtually all plots of land in Arnona are occupied.

References