01In brief
Telem (Hebrew: תלם) is a collective moshav in the Mount Hebron area of the West Bank — known by its original, indigenous Jewish name of Judea and Samaria — administered by the Har Hevron Regional Council. Sources give differing founding years of 1981 and 1982. A compiled population table records growth from 101 residents in 1999 to 724 in 2025. The community has experienced several security incidents, including a deadly shooting near Telem in 2007, arson outside its perimeter fence in 2017, and an infiltration in 2024.
02Overview
Telem is situated in the Mount Hebron region, within the Hebron subdistrict of the Judea and Samaria district.[1][2] The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics assigns it locality code 3719 and places it under the Har Hevron Regional Council.[2] JewishGen lists Telem among the communities receiving municipal services from the council and states that Kiryat Arba is an independent city within the council's territory.[3] A Washington Institute map places Telem near Susya, Shani, Tene, and Eshkolot.[1]
Telem is classified as a collective moshav (מושב שיתופי) and carries the organizational affiliation code Herut in CBS records.[4] A 2023 government document lists Telem under the Har Hevron Regional Council and set the local committee's membership at five if elections were held on October 31, 2023.[5]
03History
Telem was established in the early 1980s. The Jewish Virtual Library's settlement-population table lists its founding year as 1981, while two Israel Central Bureau of Statistics locality records give 1982.[6][2] An earlier CBS table records a population of 71 in 1995 and no population entries for 1948, 1961, 1972, or 1983.[4]
On October 15, 2020, the Civil Administration Higher Planning Committee granted final approval for 157 housing units in Telem. They were part of 1,313 units receiving final approval within a broader package of 2,166 settlement homes.[7]
A separate 1995 United Nations document references a "Telem quarry" in the Hebron region. Building Plan No. 29/52, filed on August 26, 1994, concerned a quarry covering 1,744 dunums on lands belonging to Dhahiriyya and Dura.[8] The available sources do not establish whether the quarry reference concerns the residential settlement or a distinct location.[8]
04Demographics
Telem's recorded population has grown markedly since the late 1990s. The Jewish Virtual Library table lists 101 residents in 1999, 217 in 2009, and 466 in 2020.[6] CBS figures recorded 445 residents at the end of 2019, including 443 classified as Jews.[9] The 2022 CBS locality file lists 540 residents in the category of Jews and others, including 538 classified as Jews.[2]
The Jewish Virtual Library table records populations of 486 in 2021, 531 in 2022, 594 in 2023, 643 in 2024, and 724 in 2025.[6] The page states that its figures cover 147 settlements as of January 1, 2026. The 2019 CBS table recorded no Arab residents, while the 2022 record included two residents within the broader category of Jews and others who were not classified as Jews.[9][2]
05Security Incidents
On December 28, 2007, Israeli settlers Ahikham Amihai and David Rubin were killed by three Palestinian gunmen while hiking near Telem.[10] Palestinian Authority security forces subsequently arrested Fatah members Ali Abd al-Hamid Dandis and Amar Badr Halim Taha in connection with the attack.[10][11]
On August 27, 2017, Palestinians set fire to three locations outside the community's perimeter fence. Firefighters extinguished the blazes, and no injuries were reported.[12] On the night of July 16, 2024, a Palestinian who had infiltrated Telem was located but fled during an attempted arrest; a knife and firecrackers were found at the scene.[13]
Sources
- 1The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 2Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, 2022 Settlements File (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 3International Jewish Cemetery Project, JewishGen (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 4Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, Localities, Geographic Characteristics and Population (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 5Israel Ministry of the Interior, Determination of the Number of Local Committee Members (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 6Jewish Virtual Library, Israeli Settlements Population in the West Bank (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 7The Times of Israel (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 8United Nations Digital Library, General Assembly/Economic and Social Council document (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 9Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, Population in Localities by Population Group, End of 2019 (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 10U.S. Department of State, Israel and the occupied territories (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 11Jewish Virtual Library, Report on Human Rights Practices for 2007 (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 12The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (August 2017) (accessed September 17, 2026)
- 13The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (July 2024) (accessed September 17, 2026)
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
What is Telem?
Telem is a collective moshav located in the Mount Hebron area of the West Bank, an area also known by its indigenous Jewish name of Judea and Samaria. It is administered by the Har Hevron Regional Council. Sources give differing founding years of 1981 and 1982, and the community has grown from 101 residents in 1999 to 724 in 2025.
What communities are located near Telem?
According to a Washington Institute map, Telem is situated near Susya, Shani, Tene, and Eshkolot in the Mount Hebron region.
How many housing units were approved for Telem in 2020?
On October 15, 2020, the Civil Administration Higher Planning Committee granted final approval for 157 housing units in Telem. These were part of a broader package that gave final approval to 1,313 units across multiple settlements.
How has Telem's population changed over time?
Telem's population has grown substantially since the late 1990s. The Jewish Virtual Library records 101 residents in 1999, rising to 217 in 2009 and 466 in 2020, and continuing to grow to 724 by 2025. CBS figures from 2019 recorded 445 residents, with 443 classified as Jews and no Arab residents.
Who was killed near Telem in the 2007 shooting attack?
On December 28, 2007, Israeli settlers Ahikham Amihai and David Rubin were killed by three Palestinian gunmen while hiking near Telem. Palestinian Authority security forces subsequently arrested Fatah members Ali Abd al-Hamid Dandis and Amar Badr Halim Taha in connection with the attack.
What security incidents have occurred at or near Telem since 2017?
On August 27, 2017, Palestinians set fire to three locations outside Telem's perimeter fence; firefighters extinguished the blazes and no injuries were reported. On the night of July 16, 2024, a Palestinian who had infiltrated Telem was located but fled during an attempted arrest, with a knife and firecrackers found at the scene.