Argaman

Argaman Hebrew: אַרְגָּמָן‎
Argaman
Coordinates:
Council	Bik'at HaYarden
Region	Jordan Valley
Affiliation	Mishkei Herut Beitar
Founded	1968
Founded by	Nahal
Population (2014)	128
Name meaning	Crimson

For the Israeli wine grape, see Argaman (grape).

Argaman (Hebrew: אַרְגָּמָן‎, lit. Crimson) is a moshav and Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Located in the Jordan Valley, eight kilometres north of the Damia Bridge with an area of 4,500 dunams, it falls under the jurisdiction of Bik'at HaYarden Regional Council. In 2014 its population was 128.

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.

Etymology

The moshav's name is an acronym for Arik Regev and Gad Manela, two Nahal commanders who were killed there in a clash with Arab militants.

History

Initially established in 1968 as a Nahal settlement by the Betar movement, Argaman was converted to a civilian moshav in May 1971. Prior to the establishment of Argaman, Moshe Dayan, then Israeli Minister of Defense, was opposed to the installment of settlements in the center of the Jordan Rift Valley as it would show too explicitly that the Palestinian Arabs of the West Bank were being separated from the Arabs east of the Jordan River.