Ar'arat an-Naqab
Ar'arat an-Naqab
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|---|---|
| Hebrew transcription(s) | |
| • Also spelled | Ar'ara BaNegev (official) |
Ar'arat an-Naqab Ar'arat an-Naqab | |
| Coordinates: 31°09′35″N 35°01′25″E / 31.15972°N 35.02361°E | |
| Country | Israel |
| District | Southern |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Government | |
| • Head of Municipality | David Bonfeld (an acting mayor) |
| Area | |
• Total | 14,052 dunams (14.052 km2; 5.426 sq mi) |
| Population (2023) | |
• Total | 20,705 |
| • Density | 1,473.5/km2 (3,816.2/sq mi) |
Ar'arat an-Naqab (Arabic: عرعرة النقب) or Ar'ara BaNegev (Hebrew: עַרְעָרָה בַּנֶּגֶב), previously called Aro'er, is a Bedouin town (local council) in the Southern District of Israel. Its name stands for "the juniper tree in Negev". It is situated not far from the archaeological site of Aroer.
Ar'arat an-Naqab was founded in 1982 as part of a government project to settle Bedouins in permanent settlements. It is one of seven Bedouin townships in the Negev desert with approved plans and developed infrastructure (other six are: Hura, Lakiya, Shaqib al-Salam (Segev Shalom), Kuseife (Kseife), Tel as-Sabi (Tel-Sheva) and the city of Rahat, the largest among them).