Шығыс Иерусалемдегі Израильдік қоныс: Пискат Зеэв

Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem

Pisgat Ze'ev (, lit. Ze'ev's Peak) is an Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem and the largest residential neighborhood in Jerusalem with a population of over 50,000. Pisgat Ze'ev was established by Israel as one of the city's five Ring Neighborhoods on land effectively annexed after the 1967 Six Day War. The international community considers Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this. Pisgat Ze'ev is situated east of Shuafat and Beit Hanina, west of Hizma, south of Neve Yaakov, and north of 'Anata and the Shuafat refugee camp. The Israeli West Bank barrier includes Pisgat Ze'ev in the northern section of Jerusalem while excluding Shuafat refugee camp from the city by running in an S shape here. Three ritual baths from the Second Temple period have been excavated in Pisgat Ze'ev. The Byzantine period saw the villages' primary use shift from agriculture to service religious functions, such as churches and monasteries. A large monastery from the period was located at the site's highest point, Ras at Tawill. The monastery was likely active from the end of the 5th century to the close of the 8th century, and included a mosaic floored chapel above a burial cave, as well as an oil press and a cloth bag of 200 coins. Overlooking the neighborhood is Tell el Ful, believed to be the capital of the Tribe of Judah and site of the Israelite King Saul's palace. King Hussein of Jordan began constructing a palace there in the mid 1960s.

The neighborhood was established on a hilltop known in Arabic as Ras at Tawill, 772 meters above sea level, and its additional construction phases descend along the ridge and up to a neighboring hill. Pisgat Ze'ev has five districts: Center (1984), West (1988), East and North (1990), and South (1998). Pisgat Ze'ev is situated in north Jerusalem to the east of Shuafat and Beit Hanina, west of Hizma, south of Neve Yaakov, and north of French Hill, 'Anata and the Shuafat refugee camp. It is due east of the watershed on the edge of the Judean Desert.

In 2017, Pisgat Zeev had a population of 42,300. In 2007 it was reported to have about 1,300 of which were Arabs. Many residents of Pisgat Ze'ev are Jerusalem families that left the city center in search of more affordable housing. Pisgat Ze'ev has a mixed population of religious and secular Jews.

The international community considers Israeli settlements in the Israeli occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, to violate the Fourth Geneva Convention's prohibition on the transfer of a civilian population into occupied territory and thus illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this. Israel disputes that the Fourth Geneva Convention applies to these territories as they had not been legally held by a sovereign prior to Israel taking control of them. This view has been rejected by the International Court of Justice and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

With 40 percent of the residents under the age of 21, Pisgat Ze'ev has 58 kindergartens, 9 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and 3 high schools. There are also 22 synagogues and 2 libraries.

Moshe Dayan Boulevard, beginning at Highway 1 (Israel/Palestine) in the south and ending in Neve Yaakov in the north, is named after the famed Israeli Army general. It is Pisgat Ze'ev's major commercial thoroughfare, including many shops, eateries and the Pisga Mall. Pisgat Ze'ev is located on the Jerusalem Light Rail line. Pisgat Ze'ev Center is two stations away from the northern terminus. Many of the street names in Pisgat Ze'ev commemorate leading Israeli personalities such as Simcha Holtzberg, Moshe Rachmilewitz, Eliyahu Meridor and Meir Gershon. In 2011, an innovative water recycling project was introduced at the ritual bath in Pisgat Ze'ev which will make it unnecessary to change the water every day. In 2011, rainwater collection tanks were installed at the Pisgat Ze'ev (West) school in a project designed to conserve water organized by the Green Network, which specializes in educational programming in ecology and the environment.