New high-end settlement in Judean hills overlooks valley where David fought Goliath

A brand new housing development in the southern Judah region called Givot Eden (Eden Hills) will officially open on Thursday.

The opening ceremony comes almost 23 years after it was first approved, and four years since construction began. Some 80 families are expected to receive keys to their new homes this week.

The inauguration ceremony on Thursday will be attended by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel and Mateh Yehuda Regional Council head Niv Wiesel.

After the ceremony, the first families will receive keys to their new homes and occupy the first completed houses.

The settlement is located in the heart of the Elah Valley, the site of the biblical story of the battle between David and Goliath.

As in biblical times, the area today is also well known for its wine production, leading one of the developers refers to it as “the Napa Valley of Israel."

The community is a mixed community comprised of secular, traditional and religious families. In addition, the settlement will include a commercial area, cultural buildings and a synagogue.

The location of the new settlement is close to the Green Line, a decision made decades ago as part of a plan promoted by then-Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to separate the Jewish population in settlements within Israeli-controlled territory, away from the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas.

Several archaeological sites from the biblical period through the Byzantine period surround the settlement, as do several nature reserves, which are important for preserving local wildlife.

The building of the settlement was delayed for several years by environmental groups who opposed the construction efforts because it is located in an area that had been planned for a wildlife preserve.

To address the issue, builders constructed a special bridge with an overpass that allows wildlife to safely access the settlement through the valley without being endangered by incoming and outgoing traffic.