A new Jewish presence at the Biblical site of Baal Hatzor was established last week, overlooking the community of Ofrah.  The move was a political response to a hostile tour of the area by “Peace Now” a day earlier - but was also yet another expression of the Jewish People's return to and rebirth in its ancient homeland.

Activist Moshe Meron, one of the builders of the new neighborhood, noted: "Peace Now's tour and declarations, and the declarations of the Ministry of Defense regarding the outposts, reminded us that although we are busy expanding and building, we must attend to it even more. Our answer to all the threats is that we will build more and more. Thank G-d the biblical phrase from the book of Exodus is relevant today: 'The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad.'"

Baal Hatzor is said to be the site of the Biblical "Covenant Between the Pieces," where G-d promised the Holy Land to Abraham and his descendants. It is also mentioned in Samuel II in the story of the rivalry between King David's sons Absalom and Amnon, and was later the site of the battle in which Judah the Maccabee met his death.

Baal Hatzor is the highest mountain in Samaria, and marks the border between the Judean Mountains and Samaria.